Program Guides Emerge As TV Navigation Portal, Begin Shifting Network Preferences

Interactive program guides (IPG) have emerged as the offline equivalent of an online navigation portal for a majority of U.S. TV homes, according to new research scheduled to be released by ESPN. The findings, which were previewed to MediaDailyNews, show that IPGs are now present in more than half (54 percent) of TV households, and that nearly that many (49 percent) use them "most of the time" to decide what channels they will watch.

The research, part of the 2003 edition of an annual study on how viewers use and choose between television network brands, indicates that the adoption of IPGs as a TV navigation portal has had a profound effect on the types of channels viewers watch. For the first time since the study was launched in 1998, more than half of TV households failed to name one of the major broadcast networks as one of their "favorite" networks, which the study defines as one of their top three networks.

That's an especially important finding, because more than three quarters (76 percent) of the respondents said they go to their favorite channels "most of the time."

advertisement

advertisement

The findings, which are even more severe for certain key demographics, especially young adult men, go a long way toward explaining some of the ratings erosion the major broadcast networks have been experiencing this season, particularly among men aged 18-34. Among that demo, only a third (34 percent) now list one of the major broadcast networks as one of their favorites--down from 53 percent when ESPN began conducting the study, Television Network Branding in A Multichannel Universe.

"What this really speaks to, in a lot of ways, is the continued importance branding has on people's decision-making set," says Glen Enoch, vice president-audience research at ESPN. "When they sit down to watch TV, they've already got some channels in their head, and what those channels are becomes a very important part of the process."

Not surprisingly, the study finds that ESPN increasingly ranks among the favorite channels of many viewers, particularly young men. It also shows that other major cable networks are breaking through, as are some newer, so-called emerging networks. "The top one and two networks are still among the majors, but increasingly the third favorite channel is something you'd find on a digital tier," notes Enoch.

While the rise of cable network and the waning of broadcast network brands is not a new story, Enoch says the new study, conducted in September 2003, proves that the industry as at a true inflection point in terms of TV networks brands, as well as how viewers decide to select them.

He gives equal prominence to the new findings about the ascendance of IPGs as a TV navigation device. Among other things, Enoch says that consumers appear to be growing more accustomed to the devices, and are integrating them more into their TV viewing behavior as a solution to TV channel over-saturation. He says the new study shows that consumers are "finding it easier" to make TV channel choices than they did six years ago, despite the fact that there actually are more channels available to the average TV household than before. He attributes this primarily to the adoption of IPGs.

"Now the balance has shifted. A slight plurality of people are actually saying it's easier now," says Enoch. "The IPG is becoming a factor."

Percentage Naming A Broadcast Network One Of Their Favorites*


Total Viewers Men 18-34
1998 58% 53%
2003 45% 34%

Source: ESPN.
Next story loading loading..