Ditching Cable in Michigan is on the Rise – and Easier Than Ever

Cutting the cord is a big step. And while it certainly does have drawbacks, the cost savings can be a significant advantage. As of this year, Michigan families are ditching cable in record numbers.

Before we get ahead of ourselves, let's point out that if you're a sports fanatic who can't live without ESPN, the NFL Network, and every other sports channel on cable, cutting the cord may not work for you. The same goes for news junkies who are glued to CNN or anyone who watches niche cable outlets.

But if your TV viewing centers around ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox, cutting the cord could very well be in your best interest.

By the Numbers

According to the annual report issued by the Michigan Public Service Commission on February 1, the number of cable TV subscribers in Michigan is down almost 900,000 since the peak in 2009.

The number of households getting their TV programming from a cable company basically held steady from 2009 to 2016 at about 2.3 million. Compare that to today's number, as just 1.5 million households across the state are still connected to a coax cable.

I'm a Proud Cord Cutter!

We cut the cord over five years ago and haven't looked back. There's still a cable coming into our house, but it only brings us the Internet - and that saved us a bundle. Our cable bill used to be over $170 per month before we cut the proverbial cord. Now, it's about $80 per month.

We get excellent reception from our local TV stations and even some from Lansing via an over-the-air antenna up on the roof - and in my opinion, the picture quality of over-the-air broadcast TV is significantly better than our cable company's compressed, artifact-laden signal.

Streaming Services Make Cable Obsolete

As streaming services like Netflix and Hulu began to gain popularity, TV customers started severing their ties with cable companies. The most significant drop occurred in 2019 when about 300,000 households in our state cut the cord.

Other streaming services now offer select entertainment and sports channels that have in the past only been available to cable TV subscribers.

Bridge Michigan reports that nationally about six million households per year are ditching cable TV.