A new study from Ericsson’s ConsumerLab paints a picture where 93% of viewers are still watching linear broadcast TV, but increasingly receiving their entertainment from new distribution channels. The online study, conducted in China, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, the UK and United States provides a representative sample of more than 300 million consumers.
Over 70% are time-shifting on a weekly basis and 50% are using internet based on demand services every week. “Viewers are definitely increasing their intake of on demand. They’re moving from what’s on TV to what do I feel like watching today.” said Anders Erlandsson, senior advisor, Ericsson ConsumberLab.
More than 50% would like to connect their PC with their TV so that online TV content can be shared with others – a bonus for services such as the iPlayer, SeeSaw or YouTube that are looking to bring TV-like content to the primary TV set. “When we talk about streaming viewers don’t care if it’s over-the-top or a managed service as long as it’s broadcast on their own terms. The TV screens of different sizes have their own different values and they want all three of them,” explained Erlandsson.
Drivers for the connecting of PC and TV are; To get a larger screen (70%); To watch ‘PC’ content more comfortably (67%); To watch ‘PC’ content together with others (52%) and to Show Pictures on the TV screen (47%).
When asked about what are the most important features of a TV service consumers are asking for an easy to use, high quality, on demand service with no commercial breaks. This of course is at odds with the €38 per month average spending on pay-TV services and the disproportionate amount of time viewers spend watching that which is free.
