Paid TV: Still Worth It in 2025?
TVsch Blog / Mike Dawson / April 26, 2025
Yes. End of article. Just kidding.
"Having cable now is like a membership to an exclusive club—expensive, but people pay up for the perks," says my poor neighbor (please don’t tell him), who still watches ESPN in 4K instead of YouTube streams. And he’s not alone.
Despite predictions of "linear TV’s death," the first months of 2025 have shown that cable networks aren’t just surviving—they’ve carved out their niche. Here’s what’s keeping them afloat.
HBO: House of the Dragon Breaks Records, Mad Men Returns
— The Season 2 premiere of House of the Dragon in January drew 8.4 million viewers on day one—a 22% jump from its 2022 debut.
— The announcement of Mad Men’s revival (2026) boosted HBO Cable subscriptions by 7% last quarter—a rare growth spurt for pay TV.
The trick? HBO deliberately delays streaming releases on Max. For example, The Last of Us won’t hit Max until six months after its cable premiere.
ESPN: Sports + Showmanship = 12 Million Viewers for NBA Finals
— NBA games in 2025 attracted 12% more viewers thanks to hybrid formats like the ManningCast (featuring guests like The Rock) and AR-enhanced graphics that turned stats into animated overlays.
— ESPN’s ad rates rose 30%—advertisers still trust sports fans’ loyalty.
Bravo: Real Housewives vs. TikTok
— Season 17 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills scored its best ratings in five years (4.1 million in prime time).
— The secret? Bravo’s interactive social media polls ("Who’s lying?")—45% of viewers watch with phones in hand.
AMC: Nostalgia as a Strategy
— The Fear the Walking Dead spinoff pulled 3.4 million viewers—double projections.
— New hit Fat & Fabulous Wedding Season (think Schitt’s Creek vibes) stole the 35+ audience from Netflix.
Why It Works
Exclusive delays: Networks hold back streaming releases (HBO by 6 months, AMC by 3). Live-event magic: 61% of cable viewers crave "shared experiences"—like live-tweeting House of the Dragon. Hybrid formats: ESPN blends sports and comedy; Bravo merges reality TV with social media.
The bottom line: Cable TV in 2025 isn’t mass-market—it’s a premium service for superfans. Like vinyl for audiophiles: pricey, but worth it for the purists.
Full 2025 data won’t land until year-end, but trends are clear: Cable survives on cult appeal, not convenience.
Posted by:
Mike Dawson
Expert in Content Consumption
"IT guy by profession, TV critic by calling. If I made it to the end, it was either worth it… or I just fell asleep halfway through."
