TV Antenna Usage in Homes Drops to 19%

A new Horowitz Research survey, “State of Media, Entertainment, and Tech: Subscriptions 2025,” reveals a complex landscape for the TV industry, with sharp declines in traditional pay TV and antenna use contrasted by significant growth in streaming services.

According to TVTechnoloy.com, the report shows homes with access to live TV channels dropped from 32% in 2020 to 19% in 2025, while traditional pay TV (MVPD) subscriptions plummeted from 81% to 44% over the same period. Conversely, SVOD subscriptions climbed from 70% to 81% of homes, and free streaming services surged from 52% to 70%.

Virtual MVPDs, such as Sling TV and YouTube TV, saw a decline from 29% of homes in 2020 to 23% in 2025. Over the past decade, the video service mix has shifted dramatically: in 2015, 47% of homes had only MVPD subscriptions, while just 7% were streaming-only. By 2025, 49% of homes were streaming-only, with only 11% relying solely on pay TV. Dual MVPD and streaming subscriptions fell from 40% in 2015 to 33% in 2025, while homes with no video subscriptions remained nearly steady at 7% (up from 6%).

Antenna usage, skewing toward lower-income and older households, was found in 26% of homes led by those 50+, compared to 19% overall. Only 9% of homes earning over $100,000 had antennas, versus 26% of those earning under $50,000. Among homes without MVPD subscriptions, 28% used antennas, but just 10% of households led by 18- to 34-year-olds had antenna access.

The report also covers consumer spending on subscriptions, popular streaming platforms, bundling trends, broadband adoption, smart home opportunities, and more.