More households nationwide have cut the cord in the past six months as the number of cable TV subscribers in the second quarter dropped 2.55 percent to about 4.91 million, National Communications Commission (NCC) data showed yesterday.
Cable TV operators must regularly report how many subscribers they have to the NCC, as required in Article No. 24 of the Cable Radio and Television Act (有線廣播電視法), the commission said, adding that it would compile the quarterly reports and post them on its Web site.
Subscribers have fallen from more than 4.93 million in the first quarter to about 4.91 million in the second quarter, NCC data showed.
The trend was more pronounced when compared with the second quarter of last year, when there were more than 5.04 million cable TV service subscribers.
All five large multiple system operators have lost subscribers since last quarter and last year, the data showed.
Kbro Co, the nation’s biggest cable television system operator, reported a year-on-year loss of 42,698 subscribers, followed by China Network Systems and Taiwan Broadband Communications, losing 28,124 and 17,145 subscribers respectively, the commission said.
The commission said that there were more than 5 million subscribers in 2014 due to the enhanced content broadcast quality made possible through the digitization of cable TV service.
However, cable TV subscribers have fallen below 5 million since the third quarter of last year due to competitions from over-the-top (OTT) TV operators, it said.
A survey conducted by the NCC last year asked subscribers if they were likely to cancel their subscriptions in the next 12 months, with about 8 percent of the respondents saying that they would consider it, the commission said.
When asked about their reasons for canceling their cable TV services, the two most common responses were the convenience of Internet (36.7 percent) and the lack of interesting programs on cable (26.7 percent).
To counter the downward trend, cable service operators have begun to explore different business models, such as introducing smart set-top boxes or forming strategic partnerships with telecoms or OTT operators, the commission said.
Whether these measures would effectively slow the loss of cable TV subscribers remains to be seen, it added.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
RSS