So, there’s hundreds of channels of pure garbage out there (not counting +1s that’s essentially cheating
) that I think
most could close by 2035. Not generally because broadcasters go to the wall (they’ll all stream anyway) but there will be competing pressure for bandwidth (especially on the cable network) and satellite operators reluctant to go further in commissioning many new birds.
I’ve said before OB is right in spotting trends my issue was always “to zero” - it’s difficult for market forces alone to drive that kind of radical change in a short timeframe. Viewers are agnostic but the nudge is well under way, investment in internet connectivity continues.
A Freeview service of 15-20 HD channels (if it’s worth selling off more bandwidth) and a satellite/cable offering of a further 40-60 UHD/HD channels supplemented by on-demand/streaming is something I could envisage by 2035. I could see streamers launching IPTV channels to promote content but I don’t see this as meaningfully changing the total.