VOD services offer 90% European content

The majority of the video-on-demand services provided by television channels are made up exclusively of European content, according to a study carried out on behalf of the European Commission.

The study found a marked difference between pure VOD players and those on demand services run by broadcasters. Pure VOD plays were found to typically have a smaller proportion of European titles than broadcaster-run services that often replicated the offering on their linear channels minus the imported content. For example, the UK’s Channel 4 often screens content from HBO on its linear channel, but the US studio has its own branded VOD service running on Virgin Media.

The majority of broadcasters’ non-linear services are free to use for the consumer, 41% of respondents said that advertising funded all or part of their service, while public subsidy was used as the means of support by 23%.
In contrast, pure VOD players that took part in their survey said that revenues came either from subscription fees or pay-per-view.

The majority of respondents said European programming was a good thing, but it is seen as expensive, and no easier to acquire than non-European content.