Research
Average UK viewer paying £25/
month on TV in lockdown
Netgem TV has revealed the results of a
survey with over 750 respondents to explore
the different ways in which consumers across
the UK and Ireland are turning to television to
escape from the daily routine in lockdown.
The study confirms a surge in TV consumption
across the UK and Ireland and
reveals that TV Series are the most popular
and binge-worthy form of lockdown entertainment,
with nearly two-thirds of viewers (73%)
watching more across all genres. TV is closely
followed by Films, watched by 68% more
viewers, and News, watched by an extra 57%.
A third (33%) of viewers are also watching
more YouTube.
Increased news consumption is also likely
to be one of the reasons for 33% of overall
consumers confirming that they are watching
more live TV than they did pre-lockdown,
despite the loss of live sports coverage.
The study also found that the average
consumer in the UK and Ireland now spends
£25 (€28) per month on TV services. By age
group, consumers between 41-50 years old
are the highest paying customers, with over
40% spending more than £50/month on their
TV services. By contrast, 74% of 21-30 year
olds spend less than £20/month. This Millennial
generation is far more likely to consist
of cord-cutters too, with over 55% of respondents
not having a TV provider but paying for
two or more streaming services instead.
There is also a significant difference in
the price paid for TV services across the UK.
Consumers in Greater London and South East
England are the highest paying, with a majority
of consumers paying over £50/month for
their TV services. This peaks at close to 70%
in London, with 90% of Londoners having at
least one additional streaming service and
tending to opt for a more expensive TV provider
such as BT or Sky. At the other end of
the country, Scotland spends the least on TV
services; over 46% of TV consumers pay under
£20/month and a significant 25% pay under
£10/month.
“The increased demand for series and films
shows that the average Briton wants escapism
at this time,” suggests Sylvain Thevenot,
managing director, Netgem TV. “TV services
should be focussing all efforts in making this
possible by putting together the best content
offer at the lowest possible prices, so that
customers can choose providers by content
alone rather than having the pain points of
comparing shifting prices and cross-referencing
limited time deals.”
Tech problems slowing Brits’ online
video take-up
From Shakespearean performances to pub
drinks with friends, it seems any activity can
be made virtual now, yet streaming issues
may be causing us to shy away from these resources.
This is according to research on How
Video is Changing the World from content
delivery provider Limelight Networks.
Globally, 14% of adults are watching seven
or more hours of online video every day –
making it an important channel for communication
and sharing information.
However, nearly two-thirds of Brits (61%)
have had technical issues with the online video
for virtual events in the past two months.
Many of these are linked to difficulties delivering
high-quality online video with the speed
and convenience UK consumers expect. The
most common complaint with online video
offerings was Internet connectivity problems
(36%), followed by videos loading slowly (13%)
and poor-quality video (12%).
So, which of the services out there are we
really using?
Doctor, Doctor: Online doctor’s appointments
are not very popular among Brits – 68% of UK
respondents say they haven’t tried one and
don’t plan to do so in the next six months.
Feeling chatty?: People are on the fence
about virtual gatherings with family or friends
– 38% have tried it out in the past two months,
but 39% are still convinced they won’t use the
technology for the foreseeable future. Another
third (32%) have attended or would attend a
public event virtually, if they could not attend
the IRL version.
Let’s get physical: A third of us (31%) have
tried an online fitness workout in the past two
months, with a further 16% planning to give
one a go in the next six months. But half of us
(51%) still aren’t tempted by it.
Parlez-vous français?: Only 19% of Brits plan
on learning a language using online video
in the next year. Interest in online classes
to learn other hobbies (such as gardening,
woodwork, and cooking) was slightly higher,
with 24% of respondents considering these
services.
“Online video is a key part of many online
activities, so it’s no surprise that long load
times and buffering is frustrating consumers
and potentially stopping them from trying out
virtual activities,” explains Steve Miller-Jones,
VP edge strategy and solution architecture
at Limelight Networks. “Our research shows
that whether for work or play, people in the
UK simply aren’t willing to put up with poor
online video experiences. Too often, video
latency or a poor-quality picture can prevent
virtual activities from delivering the personal
connection and experiential benefits that
consumers expect.”
“Businesses who want to offer a
virtual experience need to carefully consider
their content delivery strategy. This means
choosing the right technology partners who
can ensure end users have a high-quality, low
latency experience,” he advises.
18 EUROMEDIA