According to an annual report by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), there are just 1.29 million households left in Michigan that still pay for cable TV.
This figure represents the lowest reported percentage of residents paying for cable service in the state. Considering that Michigan has more than four million households, it means that less than a third of residents currently subscribe to cable TV.
The decline in cable subscribers continued in 2023, with an additional 190,000 cable video subscribers leaving, resulting in a 13% drop.
It’s worth noting that the MPSC measures 31 video and cable television providers operating in Michigan, excluding satellite TV distributors. Comcast, one of the major cable providers, lost 2 million video customers nationally last year. However, the story isn’t solely about cord-cutting. Some cable companies in the state have shifted their focus away from the video business or even exited it altogether. For instance, WideOpenWest has been encouraging its broadband customers to use third-party virtual MVPD service YouTube TV for over a year.
Interestingly, the MPSC also reported a surge in consumer dissatisfaction related to cable video services.
In 2023, there were 2,183 official complaints, marking an almost 200% increase since the commission began reporting in 2008. Michigan customers have expressed growing dissatisfaction with their cable offerings, especially after the decision to exclusively broadcast the University of Michigan’s 2023 opening football game on Peacock, leaving many fans unable to watch. Similarly, when Peacock streamed an Ohio State game, fans responded with even more aggression, prompting an Ohio state senator to consider legislation that would prevent streaming services from exclusively carrying public university games.
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