Who's Zooming Who: Applied Mathematics

by Mitch Oscar, Mar 3, 2009, 12:00 PM

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Recently, TV Week's Daisy Whitney wrote a piece about a study conducted by research firm Solutions Research Group on young adult utilization of broadband video vs. digital video recorders.

The opening sentence: "Internet television is trumping digital video recorders as an on demand device for the younger generation, according to the latest findings from SRG."

The findings: "The study [1,200 respondents] found that 70% of online Americans in the 18-34 year old demographic have watched TV online at some point, compared to 36% who have viewed a show on a DVR or a TiVo."

I'm sure that the mathematics is correct; however, I question the application. Why broadband video vs. the DVR. Based upon discussions with peers about life stage evolution, I would think that few Americans ages 18-34 would be in proximity of a digital video recorder. Studies have indicated that most on-campus college students view little TV via traditional pay TV services, i.e., cable, satellite or telco, and if they do, the viewing is done in a communal area where a DVR device would be impractical. Commuting students are often restricted from utilizing their parents' DVR -- either due to storage bandwidth restrictions or the need to shelter their programming tastes from parental authority. For the 24-34 group, issues of limited finance resources (affording pay TV services and additives such as DVR/HD), multiple roommates, the ubiquity of high speed Internet access as well as this demographic's dependence on their Internet-trolling lifeline for communal connectivity/socializing, information, services and entertainment, would make a comparison of the two entities... well, a non-starter.

When, in the past, I have queried the 24-34 demographically of employed media professional -- an on-demand focus group with unlimited respondents -- about their TV consumption, those who have stated that they watch TV online cited limited finances, roommates, the broadband lifeline and long workplace hours as the foundation of their choice. When I've propositioned them with a free 50-inch digital TV monitor and free pay TV services, I usually get a sly smile and "when."

When the "when" group cycles into its next life stage -- affordable housing (I know, not in this economy), more selective partnerships, marriage and rearing -- will they still wish to confine their entertainment to the Web or be seduced by the quadruple bypass (TV, broadband, wire and wireless telephony) offered by cablers, satcasters, digital terrestrialists and telephonists.

Given the reams of data available and the ease and limited out-of-pocket cost to field online surveys I would hope that we might become more circumspect about the ingredients of the dish we wish to serve.  

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0 comments on "Who's Zooming Who: Applied Mathematics".

1. Mark Cuban from HDNet
   

   commented on: March 3, 2009 at 12:33 p.m.

   Amen. Why people think that the habits of an 18 year old will define their actions in the future is beyond me.

   One need only look at the heavy internet usage of senior citizens to realize that we dont live in the world we were born into

   THere is a reason why HDTV sets continue to sell while desktop computers and laptop sales fall

2. Paula Lynn from Who Else Unlimited
   

   commented on: March 3, 2009 at 1:22 p.m.

   Yeah, I would rather crimp up in front of a 15" screen to watch shows/movies instead of a large HDTV screen lounging in a comfortable position. And studies are never skewed. Good night and good luck.

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