Minorities Over-Index in Multiplatform TV Viewing

by Erik Sass, Dec 27, 2010, 1:45 PM

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While broadband penetration in general has lagged among Asian, African-American and Hispanic households, these groups are quickly catching up. 

They tend, however, to over-index in consumption of multiplatform TV, including TV viewed online and via handheld devices, according to a new study from Horowitz Associates titled "Multiplatform Content and Services: Multicultural Edition."

The Horowitz study, based on a survey of 1,000 broadband users across the entire United States with Internet at home, found that 48% of Asian broadband users watch TV content online, followed by Hispanic broadband users at 46% and African-American and white broadband users at 35% each.

Some 16% of Asians, 22% of Hispanics and 19% of black broadband users watch TV content on a handheld device.

Despite new technologies, traditional TV viewing dominates, as most respondents said they do most of their viewing with a TV set -- even when occasionally accessing alternative platforms. Among respondents who said they sometimes watch video on an alternative platform, 70% of Asians, 75% of Hispanics, 74% of African-Americans, and 75% of whites remain loyal viewers of a traditional TV set.

By the same token, the alternative platforms represent a clear threat to the dominance of traditional TV: 24% of Asians and 25% of whites said they would consider canceling cable TV subscriptions if more of their favorite content were accessible online. That compares with 18% of Hispanics and 13% of African-American respondents.

While broadband penetration in general has lagged among Asian, African-American and Hispanic households, these groups are quickly catching up and also tend to over-index in consumption of multiplatform TV, including TV viewed online and via handheld devices, according to a new study from Horowitz Associates titled "Multiplatform Content and Services: Multicultural Edition."

The Horowitz study, based on a survey of 1,000 broadband users with Internet at home across the entire United States, found that 48% of Asian broadband users watch TV content online, followed by Hispanic broadband users at 46% and African-American and white broadband users at 35% each. Meanwhile, 16% of Asians, 22% of Hispanics and 19% of black broadband users watch TV content on a handheld device.

Nonetheless, traditional TV viewing still dominates, as most respondents said they still do most of their viewing with a TV set -- and occasionally even access alternative platforms. Among respondents who said they sometimes watch video on an alternative platform, 70% of Asians, 75% of Hispanics, 74% of African-Americans, and 75% of whites said they still do most of their viewing on a traditional TV set.

By the same token, the alternative platforms represent a clear threat to the dominance of traditional TV: 24% of Asians and 25% of whites said they would consider canceling cable TV subscriptions if more of their favorite content were accessible online. That compares with 18% of Hispanics and 13% of African-American respondents.

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0 comments on "Minorities Over-Index in Multiplatform TV Viewing ".

1. Douglas Ferguson from College of Charleston
   

   commented on: December 28, 2010 at 3:10 p.m.

   Of course consumption is over the index. English-speakers lag in indexed consumption because their language is readily available just about anywhere. But if you speak Spanish or an Asian language, you find more content online than offline.

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