A Study of New Consumer Viewing Habits

from: Gordon Meyer, P3update.com

It’s no secret that more and more consumers in the United States are watching television shows on devices other than T.V. sets. The television industry has gone through seismic changes since the debut of commercial T.V. broadcasting in the late 1940s. The Nielsen Company recently conducted a global study of online consumers to see about the types of devices they currently use; the types they plan to buy in the near future; how they access the Internet; and how they view the role of mobile technology in the future.

As reported by Nielsen, the results indicate major challenges for the cable and satellite industries, while also suggesting burgeoning opportunities for creative content producers.

The trend of watching video content on computers began with DVD drives in the late 1990s and accelerated with the penetration of broadband connections a decade later. The trend has since skyrocketed with the growth of mobile broadband. According to a recent Advanced Television article, the Nielsen study was comprised of interviews with more than 28,000 people in 56 countries via the Internet. Approximately 84 percent of those surveyed said that they watch video content on a computer at least once a month, which is slightly more than the 83 percent of respondents who watch video content on TV. Additionally, 56 percent said that they watch video content on mobile devices at least once a month while 28 percent do so daily.

Streaming services like Netflix and Hulu continue to feed this trend, much to the chagrin of cable carriers. While most consumers still need a good antenna or reliable cable or satellite service to watch their favorite T.V. channels, popular and classic network shows, like “Breaking Bad,” “30 Rock,” “The West Wing,” “Frasier” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” can be seen in HD and commercial-free on streaming services. And with its February premiere of the drama series “House of Cards,” Netflix is out to show the world that it too can be a destination channel for the kind of edgy, original content previously only available on premium cable channels, such as HBO, Showtime and Starz.

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