According to new research conducted by The Nielsen Company for the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing, 94% of adults who subscribe to cable or satellite television services prefer to watch television on traditional TV sets rather than Online.
35% of the adult broadband users surveyed said they had watched at least one television program originally shown on TV via the Internet. Of those who sought out video content online:
This indicates the success that major networks are having by taking popular programs to the online platform. Online television viewers are catching up on their favorite shows, while 40% report using the Internet to learn about actors and upcoming episodes.
TV Related Activities Reviewed Online | |
TV Activity | % of Respondents |
Read background info about a show's cast member | 39% |
Viewed a show's previews | 38% |
Read background info about the show or the show's characters | 37% |
Viewed a behind-the-scenes video clip | 27% |
Read or viewed a show's cast member interview | 26% |
Viewed a show's bloopers | 22% |
Viewed a show's deleted scenes | 20% |
Source: "CTAM 4 Trend Results and Analysis" Study (2008) |
Online television viewers said they prefer to watch shorter video clips when they go online. Specifically, top choices are:
"Tracking how consumer behavior is changing as a result of new television viewing platforms is critical to our business," said Char Beales, President and CEO of CTAM. "As preferences are made clear through research, cable companies and content providers evolve the product mix to best suit viewers' needs and desires."
Susan Whiting, Executive Vice President, The Nielsen Company, concludes "With so many (digital) viewing options... available... it's more important than ever to understand how people are consuming media. This analysis shows a continuing strong appetite for watching television the traditional way... "
The study found that people are spending more time online each week than they were two years ago. More than half of the respondents (51%) reported being online for at least three hours a week last year. In 2005, just 41% of those surveyed said they spent three or more hours online per week.
The analysis also found growth among services associated with traditional television set viewing. Respondents' knowledge and usage of video On Demand services increased substantially between 2005 and 2007. Free On Demand programs and movies also experienced a significant jump in usage from 49% in 2005 to 71% in 2007, and paid On Demand usage increased from 46% to 55%.
Other key findings include:
The full report is available for purchase on the CTAM Web site, or visit Nieslen here for additional information.