What's Driving TV Subscriber Satisfaction in 2026?

In an age of ongoing cord-cutting, "MediaTalk" sits down with S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan analyst Brian Bacon to break down who is subscribing to what video service and why based on the latest insights from the Kagan Consumer Insights survey. The numbers tell an interesting story: overall US TV satisfaction jumped from 34% to 39% year-over-year, with virtual providers like YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV leading the pack. But here's where it gets intriguing — Charter's Seamless Entertainment hybrid model, bundling traditional cable with ad-supported streaming services, is showing promising satisfaction rates among subscribers who use the included SVOD options. The conversation also explores the rise of "virtual basic cable" — internet-only TV packages from operators like Charter, Comcast, and Cox that blur the lines between traditional and streaming services. With sports content remaining the ultimate satisfaction driver and bundling becoming increasingly complex, the media landscape is evolving faster than ever. The episode explores:  Are subscribers willing to juggle multiple streaming platforms to catch all their favorite sports, or is there a breaking point? Could hybrid bundles that combine traditional TV with streaming services be the future of cable — or just a temporary bridge? More S&P Global content: Virtual options provide a new take on basic cable TV MediaTalk | Season 4 | Ep. 28 - How NCTC Helps Small Operators Compete in a Consolidating Market Featured experts: Brian Bacon, research analyst on the Consumer Insights team within S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan Credits: Host/Author: Mike Reynolds Producer/Editor: Sarah James www.spglobal.com www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence