Alternate-Delivery Hits All-Time High; Cable Falls to 18-Year Low

More U.S. TV households are receiving programming via an alternate delivery system, such as satellite, than ever before while wired cable's penetration hit an 18-year low in July, according to a Television Bureau of Advertising analysis of Nielsen Media Research data. ADS penetration—which includes direct-broadcast satellite and satellite master antenna—reached 28.4% of TV households in July, an all-time high that is up from 27.5% in July last year. It now represents 32.1% of subscription television customers (those paying for video delivery), another all-time high.