Well friends, it’s that time again. Time for me to reach out and make some predictions that probably won’t come true. I’ve been publishing this kind of article for about ten years and you can find them all on this blog if you search for the word “predictions.” They’re kind of funny if you look back, but each of them was pretty seriously thought out at the time. So here we go again… here are my thoughts for what we’ll see in the coming year.
Pay TV roars back
I know this is going to sound odd to younger readers, but I think this is the year that pay TV punches back against ten years of gains in streaming. Streaming companies are struggling to be profitable, and pay-TV knows how to do that. I think this will be the first year in a long time that the industry doesn’t lose subscribers and there may even be small gains. The fact is that pay TV is a great value and streaming is losing its luster. I’m guessing there will be a real push back toward traditional programming packages, especially if the companies can hold the line on price increases.
Streaming does a faceplant
Hey, remember when we all thought we could replace traditional pay TV with a $10/month streaming subscription? Today most people pay upwards of $100 a month for streaming apps, and it has to end. I’m guessing that ’23 is going to be the year when it all begins to look a little iffy for streaming apps. Led by Discovery and Netflix, we’ll see less original content on streaming in ’23, which will cause people to leave the apps in droves. This will drive those companies’ profits even lower and the cycle will repeat. I’ve said it before, there’s a reckoning coming for streaming, and it won’t be pretty.
ATSC 3.0 / 4K Over-the-Air won’t be there
At this point this is an easy prediction. We haven’t seen any change in the over-the-air landscape in years, despite a lot of test broadcasts. The industry has waited so long that their authorization for those test broadcasts will expire in July. And still… no sign of affordable ATSC 3.0 hardware out there. I don’t know what the FCC will do… will they extend the testing period or will they curtail the testing that’s taking place? Will they set a new timeline for general adoption, and will anyone care by the time that deadline happens? Realistically we’re looking at 2028 or 2029 for full adoption and things in the world of entertainment are moving fast.
I really hope the industry gets its act together. Right now there’s a lot of mistrust toward the companies pushing ATSC 3.0, a lot of frustration from people who want it, and it’s just a bad look. Over-the-air broadcasting has been part of the American landscape for 100 years and it would be a shame to lose it now.
Cell boosters keep growing
And now, on to an easy prediction. Cell phone signal boosters will continue to become more popular. Everyone uses their phones constantly now. You don’t need me to tell you that. That means everyone wants better cell signal. I think companies like Solid Signal will continue to be at the forefront of cell booster adoption.
Mobile and marine internet starts to shine
There’s a lot of change happening in the world of internet service. After many years, there’s a disruptive force, and it’s causing a lot of people to reevaluate their choice of provider. If you’re thinking about satellite-based internet, the landscape is looking very different than it was a year ago. And I think we’ll see massive changes in 2023, too. Now’s the time to look at the internet solutions you have for your RV and boat and see if you want to make a change.
Overall: good times ahead
I’m pretty optimistic overall in every way, except ATSC 3.0. It’s going to take a little more work from them to convince me. But I would say that no matter how you want to be entertained, 2023 is going to be an excellent year!
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