Canadians resistant to DTV

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Canadian television subscribers are holding back from going digital because they don't see the need for it, because they don't know its benefits or features, and because they see cost as a factor in adopting the service.

A new survey by Decima Research, Ottawa, shows that while there are a growing number of Canadian households that subscribe to a digital TV service such as digital cable and satellite TV, 60 per cent of households that pay to receive a TV service are still happy with standard analogue cable service. And when asked why they don't subscribe to digital TV service, 48 per cent of analogue subscribers say that they either do not need the service or are not interested in it.

A full 33 per cent of analogue subscribers identify price-related factors as another reason not to subscribe, and 55 per cent of analogue subscribers who used to subscribe to digital television service but no longer do so, cite price or cost factors as the reason why they no longer subscribe to digital TV service.

The facts are found in the 2004 consumer research study entitled 'The digital domain: Consumer Attitudes on Digital Television Services, Benefits, and Features in Canada.'
"These findings suggest that television service providers such as cable and satellite TV companies must provide greater value to digital TV subscribers, or at least do a better job at communicating the value of their digital services," says Mario Mota, vice-president, Broadcast/Media Research, Decima Research. "A majority of analogue TV subscribers don't even know what services, benefits, or features are available from a digital television service."

And among consumers who might, probably or definitely subscribe to a digital service within the next two years, 23 per cent are undecided about which digital TV platform they would choose.

"This segment of TV subscribers represents a tremendous opportunity for digital television providers to craft sales and marketing campaigns to win over these consumers," says Mr. Mota. "Digital TV providers' near-term sales and marketing plans are critical to swaying these undecided analog subscribers to their service."