Nope, cable on the decline: 56.6 million US consumers to go without pay TV this year, as cord cutting accelerates https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/13/56-6-million-u-s-consumers-to-go-without-pay-tv-this-year-as-cord-cutting-accelerates/ And yet... the average American pays their cable company over $100 a month for this free tv you speak of.