Faster broadband won't increase online TV viewing habits

chris

The survey, conducted by YouGov and Deloitte, found 53 per cent of the 2,123 viewers polled said they would not watch more online video clips or TV programmes with a faster and more reliable internet connection. And 29 per cent felt there was little importance in being able to watch TV using an online service.

The younger section of those polled, aged 18 to 24, were more likely to already watch TV online, but 43 per cent still said that a faster broadband connection would not increase their internet viewing habits.

"Stimulating investment in a next-generation broadband infrastructure for Britain has been at the heart of the Digital Britain debate," said James Bates, media and telecoms partner at Deloitte. "However, making high speed broadband access widely available to consumers is no guarantee that it will be taken up. Demand and willingness to pay for services varies significantly, and there is little evidence that the mass market is prepared to pay substantially more for it.”

The Digital Britain report was published in June 2009 by the government with the major aim of getting a higher speed broadband of a minimum of two megabits per second rolled out nationally by 2012. However, a recent Ofcom report found that millions of adults who do not have access to the internet at home would choose to remain unconnected even if given a free PC and broadband connection.

The research showed news and comedy to be the two most popular genres of video clips watched online – each watched by 34 per cent, followed by music, 30 per cent, documentaries/factual, 23 per cent and sports, 23 per cent. The least popular clips are reality TV shows and factual entertainment, each watched by only seven per cent of the sample audience.

The survey brought good news for traditional broadcasters as viewers’ awareness of their on-demand sites was greater than that for either YouTube or iTunes, with 83 per cent of those polled recording a higher knowledge for those sites, such as ITV.com and the BBC iPlayer. This is compared to 76 per cent awareness of YouTube or 64 per cent of iTunes.

Mr Bates added: “"One of the strongest advocates for online television may well be traditional television companies. In an ironic twist to earlier expectations, broadcasters and independent producers may, in the medium-term, be those that benefit most from online television.

“Broadcasters may increasingly use online television to support their core, traditional objective of maximising broadcast audience size and quality. Online clips, distributed via their own websites as well as third party platforms, are likely to be used to spark interest in their shows. Online catch-up can enable viewers that missed a broadcast episode to keep up with a storyline and remain interested in a series."

The full Deloitte/YouGov report will be published later this month and was commissioned by the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival.


Source:telegraph

Channel Hopper

I must admit I haven't been impressed with any on-line broadcast, even though we have the top of the range monitor and better than average graphics card in the PC.

Maybe it is similar to the idea that reading formats on a PC are not as eye friendly as a few bits of paper stuck together at the side.

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"