Telia has announced it is looking for at least 20 professionals to develop a new TV product in Lithuania.
Commenting on the development, Vitalija Kibilde, CEO of Telia TV, said: “We have an idea, a vision, what kind of product we want to create, what functions it should perform and what needs to meet. However, there are still many questions we are looking for answers to, thoughts and suggestions that we would like to hear. In short, we are shaping the future of television, so we are bringing together experienced professionals. Those who turn on TV know what could be different – better, more convenient, faster”.
The new professionals will join the Telia team, which has created and is developing the first smart IPTV TV in Lithuania and Telia Play for mobile screens. The company’s goal is to combine these products, offering people the best each has, and more.
Kibilde notes that TV continues to play an important role in the life of Lithuanians: according to the latest population survey, 98% of people watch TV or other video content at least once a month, and 79% daily. On average, they spend more than three hours on screens on weekdays and almost five hours on weekends.
On the other hand, viewing habits themselves are changing. While live TV remains the most watched (accounting for 50% of viewing time), content streaming platforms (31%) as well as re-winded TV content (19%) are fast catching up. TV meter data also show that regular TV viewing is declining, a trend that is particularly pronounced among youngest viewers.
Even after discounting YouTube, at least one content streaming platform is used by one in two people in the country, with one in three (31%) still paying for these services. Among the most popular in Lithuania are LRT Mediateka, Netflix, Go3, Telia Play and HBO. In addition, many people find interesting video content on other types of platforms or gadgets, such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Kibilde added: “The use of video content is growing, but it is becoming more widespread. If in the past we only understood “video” as films, series and TV shows, today the concept goes much further: it includes civic journalism, various webcasts, content created by opinion leaders or even ordinary people. The inconvenience is that all of this content, including movies and series, is scattered across many different platforms, gadgets, and websites; there is no single space where we can find everything that would interest us”. Watching TV isn’t just about TV.
Another important aspect is the devices used: the TV remains the main home screen, which is constantly used by 85% of people. Meanwhile, 11% of people watch TV content on a computer, and only 2% use a smartphone or tablet regularly. On the other hand, in as many as 25% of cases, the computer is the second choice, 22% the telephone and 11% the tablet.
According to Telia, these figures are based on an online survey undertaken by Initiative for Telia. It was undertaken in December 2020/January 2021 and questioned 1,009 Lithuanians aged from 18-65.
