The internet has become the dominant source for video content in Czech households.
New research by NMS Market Research for the Association of Mobile Network Operators found 70% of Czech households are using the Internet, with 45% using a classic TV antenna. It’s emerged that while 58% of households still have an antenna in place, not everyone is using it. Cable or satellite is used by 40%.
As might be expected, use of the internet is higher among the young. In the 25 to 34 age group, 57% cite it as the main source of video content. This is more than double that of the 65+ age group, where 25% of viewers prefer the Internet as a source of video content.
“As the current younger generation gradually ages and watching video content over the Internet becomes the main way of viewing, it will mean dramatically higher demands on data transmission over mobile and fixed data networks,” explains Ji?í Grund, President of the Association of Mobile Network Operators.
The importance of the Internet has also increased year-on-year. On the main TV screen in the home, the share of shows watched over the internet has increased from 35% in 2023 to the current 41%. This increase is mainly due to the growing popularity of IPTV services, while interest in HbbTV (red button) has declined slightly.
The research also shows that three-quarters of households pay for content. “People pay both for the reception of various streaming TV services and channels via the Internet, cable or satellite, as well as for the ability to watch certain programs without ads,” says Kamil Kunc, Client Service Director at NMS Market Research.
The Internet as a source of video content changes according to the type of program. For example, a fifth of the programs watched on the main TV screen in the household are news, and the DVB-T2 antenna slightly predominates over the Internet as the source. On the other hand, in foreign series, the Internet as a source of video content on the main TV screen wins.
