TV Answer Man: I Made My Decision

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Buy Me a Coffee!

Okay, I’ve made my decision.

A few weeks ago, I announced here that I would discontinue publishing articles unless the site received a minimum of $1,000 in monthly or annual subscriptions by January 1, 2026.

Although there’s nearly a month left, I can see that the goal will not be met. I appreciate those who have subscribed and/or made contributions, but the number is too small to justify the hours that I currently put in every week. To cover the business/technology side of the TV industry, I often work far more than 40 hours a week and sometimes six or seven days a week. But thanks to the Google Search Monopoly, the site’s ad revenue barely justifies working 10 hours a week, much less 40 plus. I was hoping that subscription revenue would close the gap, but it’s not happening.

The New TVAnswerMan.com
The good news here is that I will continue to publish at TVAnswerMan.com. However, there will be a change.

I am going to pivot from business/technology — which requires extensive man hours and daily coverage — to entertainment/programming — which can be done in fewer hours and not necessarily every day.

The new site will have three main mission objectives:

1. Make it easier (and cheaper) for you to watch what you want to watch;
2. Help you find entertaining shows and movies that you otherwise would never know about;
3. Make it easier (and cheaper) for you to watch your local and national sports teams.

To accomplish these objectives, the articles will be lumped into six major groups:

1. Show previews and reviews
(Articles such as ‘Netflix Will Add 100 Shows This Month – Here Are the 3 to Watch’)

2. New channels added to a streaming, cable or satellite service
(Articles such as ‘DIRECTV Just Added 8 New Free Channels’)

3. How to find where your favorite team or game is airing
(Articles such as “Peacock Will Air NFL Game As Exclusive – How to Watch For Free’)

4. Deal alerts
(Articles such as ‘Disney/Hulu Bundle Is Now 75 Percent Off’)

5. Free TV options
(Articles such as ‘Pluto TV Now Has 35 Free Sports Channels)

6. Locating Lost Shows
(Articles such as ‘Can You Watch Miami Vice On Streaming?’)

With the explosion of streaming services, and the continued struggle of the cable/satellite industry, it’s become impossible for many people to keep up with their favorite shows and sports. This is where I hope to fill in the gap.

I hope you find this as exciting as I do. And, as always, your contributions are still most welcome and needed. Although I may not put in the same number of hours, I still plan to give this site my all in the coming years. So, as the message below reads, please consider making a donation.

Thank you for your support!

Update: For the latest on the business side of TV, I highly recommend TheDESK.net from Matthew Keys. Lots of good stuff there.

Please consider making a donation to The TV Answer Man site here at the Buy Me a Coffee site. Any donation size is appreciated and will help me continue to provide these articles to you.

Have a Question? Ask The TV Answer Man!
Have a question about a streaming service, TV or favorite show? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com. Please include your first name and hometown in your message. A paid subscription to The TV Answer Man is required to ask a question. Click here to learn how to subscribe.