How we watch TV in 2010
Linear broadcast TV is far from dead, but it's just one video content channel of many as viewers seek and watch video wherever they can find it.
According to Ericsson's ConsumerLab - which released a report last month collecting data from China, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, the UK and US, with the sample representing over 300 million consumers - people spend well over a third of their leisure time watching TV and video content, and 93% are still watching scheduled linear broadcast TV. But they're also becoming increasingly aware of other video options, which in turn is creating new media consumption patterns.
To wit, more than 70% of consumers surveyed are streaming, downloading or watching recorded broadcast TV on a weekly basis, and half are watching internet-based on-demand TV/video every week. Respondents still place high value on live TV, but the ability to decide when and how to watch TV will affect the role of linear broadcast as consumers demand a personalized, easy-to-use, on-demand service without commercial breaks as their next TV service.
Put simply, says Ericsson ConsumerLab senior advisor Anders Erlandsson, "[Video] consumption is fragmented and complex. There are few established consumption patterns and it's a trial-and-error market with lots of curiosity around it. The consumer is looking for a solution that can offer them the freedom to choose what they want, when they want it and how they want it. The user experience is in focus, rather than the technical platform."
As for the key question - will they pay for video, and if so, how much? - the study found that consumer spending on video is not proportionate to the viewing time invested. The average consumer spends 38 euros a month on TV viewing, almost 60% of which relates to broadcast TV, but broadcast only accounts for 40% of their viewing time. Erlandsson says that consumer spending will shift in the future, with a significant increase in on-demand spending, provided it's high-quality, easy to use and they can access the content they want.
One other interesting finding: 37% of respondents are "very interested in using a tablet as a remote control."
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