TV Everywhere is Coming Everywhere, Parks Associates Says
1 Jun, 2011 By: Chris TribbeyAt the start of 2009, fewer than five TV Everywhere initiatives were being undertaken by pay-TV operators worldwide, with little apparent interest in allowing subscribers to move their content around between their TVs, PCs and mobile devices.
By July 2011 there will be nearly 50, according to research from Parks Associates, marking a major shift in not only the consumption of pay-TV content, but also how the pay-TV operators are offering content everywhere consumers want it.
“What’s remarkable is the pace of the growth,” said Brett Sappington, senior analyst with Parks Associates. “Traditionally operators are not quick to invest in this type of thing.”
The explosion of tablet devices and the increased ability of smartphones to handle streaming video have helped drive the change, and the proliferation of connected devices in the home have also helped, Sappington said.
“[Consumers are] increasing their consumption of video on all these platforms,” he said, noting that by July 81% of pay-TV subscribers in the United States will have access to their content on other devices.
TV Everywhere is becoming increasingly important for pay-TV operators who are losing consumers, as subscribers who recently canceled their service said the ability to use their pay-TV content across devices would help them consider signing back on for services. The 18- to 24-year-old set was most interested in TV Everywhere services, Parks reported, with 40% of respondents in that age group calling the services “very appealing.”
As for what consumers are watching using TV Everywhere initiatives, VOD is far outpacing live TV streaming, Sappington said, mostly due to the more clear-cut rights pay-TV operators have with pay VOD.
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