Baby Boomers Are Big Video Consumers

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A new wave of digital TV users has arrived: video consumers 50+.

A study from the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM) and research concern Chadwick Martin Bailey found that nearly 40% of the 50+ crowd have viewed a premium TV show or movie in the past week.

This represents a significant demographic shift, while younger viewers have hit a plateau, according to the study. Research comes from 1,500 U.S. broadband consumers ages 16-75, who watched at least two hours per week of TV shows or movies.

Even with the growth of digital video, there is plenty of confusion -- especially when it comes to what TV shows and movies are available.

“The content licensing intricacies that shape the competitive landscape are ill understood by the typical consumer, particularly mainstream pay TV subscribers,” stated Chris Neal, vice president of tech and telecom practice for Chadwick Martin Bailey.

It's not just availability, it's also understanding of different aspects of the Internet.

For example, 53% of those surveyed said they were unfamiliar with the cloud; 43% didn't know why some movies are available online before others; 42% were not familiar with the reasons that apps are used for TV viewing; 39% didn't know why there was limited availability of movies online;  and 21% didn't know the difference between streaming and downloading.

“CTAM has observed that baby boomers are fast followers of technology,” noted CTAM President and CEO Char Beales. “They have to be convinced the tool has staying power, and then they embrace it in a big way.”

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3 comments on "Baby Boomers Are Big Video Consumers ".

1. Steve Beverly from Union Broadcasting System
   

   commented on: June 20, 2012 at 3:32 p.m.
   This is great stuff, Wayne. Now if the ad agencies and gatekeepers can ever accept the long-overdue concept that those of us over 50 do not just hold Geritol in one hand and Poli-Grip in the other.....we do embrace new technologies.....and we don't just buy Buicks and Maxwell House Coffee!
2. Christina Ricucci from Millenia 3 Television
   

   commented on: June 20, 2012 at 3:59 p.m.
   THANK YOU, Steve Beverly, for saying what my fingers couldn't type fast enough ('cause I'm over 50). As I tottered around looking for my cane and my magnifying glass (to read the tiny print in the article), I thought to myself "that young 'fella Wayne Friedman is talking about me!" I might be insulted if I weren't in the early stages of dementia. And then of course there's the decision process which is so 'dang slow when you reach our age: I had to decide "do I add my message via my MacBook Pro, my iMac, my Windows computer, my iPad, my Android tablet, or my smartphone?" Anyway, any article about a study of 1,500 U.S. broadband consumers out of an estimated 80 million U.S. broadband subscribers in 2011 is always a fascinating read.
3. Bryan Durr from Boomer Life Media
   

   commented on: June 22, 2012 at 7:37 p.m.
   Thats right Steve and Christina. The real problem here is the lack of ad agencies staffed by people "our age" who get it. Madison Avenue is run by kids. Just look at what happened with Harry's Law on NBC. They say it was advertisers not accepting of of our economic power. Two important videos from business guru Tom Peters that nails it down. Only fools don't heed the words. STRATEGY: Pay Attention to Boomers http://youtu.be/sG1nxtMlZQw STRATEGY: On People Turning 50 http://youtu.be/pvus6YqmC5I Check out what my friend and I embarked on last year. Feel free to drop me a line. http://boomerlifemedia.com/

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