In an intriguing development, analyst Michael Nathanson has downgraded Discovery Networks and Scripps Networks Interactive from ‘neutral’ to ‘sell’. His reason is that he sees a poor future for programmers that don’t carry live TV events like sports or news.

Discovery Networks produces the various Discovery channels along with Animal Planet, TLC, Science, Velocity, OWN and American Heroes Channel. Scripps produces HGTV, the Food Network, DIY Network, the Cooking Channel, the Great American Country, the Travel Channel and TVN.

Nathanson believes that advertising is starting to chase live content and is abandoning other content. There is a major trend in the country for people to skip traditional broadcast ads using DVRs and video on demand. He further recognizes that all cable channels are losing viewers to OTT alternatives like Netflix. This all will add up to a significant drop in advertising revenues for traditional cable networks that stream shows paid for by advertising.

These networks are also feeling pressure from cable subscriptions. We know, for example, that ESPN lost millions of customers since 2015 and one has to think that the same thing is happening to all of the other networks. The ESPN losses seem to be due in part to cord cutting, but even more to cord shaving where customers are downsizing their cable packages. I listen to a lot of radio and I constantly hear ads from DirecTV and others to buy their new skinny bundles. Each time somebody picks a skinny bundle or an alternative like Sling TV, a whole lot of channels lose a monthly subscription.

This might be the first crack in the programmers’ armor. For nearly two decades they have been able to raise rates to cable companies while also enjoying ever-increasing advertising revenues. And this ever-growing revenue made the programmers a favorite of Wall Street which rewards revenues that grow quarter after quarter. But we are starting to see advertising revenues abandoning cable and moving to online venues. This year is the first year when web advertising will eclipse TV advertising.

It seems for these networks we are seeing a perfect storm. Advertising in general is leaving cable – and within that shift, if Nathanson is right, it will leave traditional cable channels much faster than those offering live programming. We are also seeing traditional cable subscriptions shifting to skinny bindles and OTT. There is no doubt that all of this is going to add up to smaller revenues for these networks. And since contracts between programmers and cable companies are for 3 -5 years the programmers don’t have the ability to raise subscription rates quickly enough to make up for these losses. Even if they tried to maintain growth through rate increases it’s likely today that they would get a lot of pushback from cable companies.

It’s hard to feel any sympathy for the programmers because it is their greed that has made cable too expensive for many homes. Programming rates in recent years have increased nearly 10% per year – many multiples faster than general inflation. Those rate increases were clearly done to please Wall Street, but it didn’t take a crystal ball to see that the increases were not sustainable.

The way that we value large companies in the US is perverse. These networks make a lot of money. And even with all of these changes they are going to continue to make a lot of money for a long time to come. But companies that fall out favor with Wall Street generally have huge problems. These companies are going to be pressured to somehow fix the situation, but there doesn’t seem to be any way for them to do that. We are likely to see them start ditching unprofitable channels. The companies might be sold or split up into smaller companies. It’s unlikely once Wall Street abandons a company for it to just sit still.

The programmers have held almost all of the power in the industry for a long time – but maybe we are starting to see a change. That can only be a good thing for the industry.