The number of UK adults watching TV on demand via TV sets and mobile devices is growing, whilst on demand viewing via a desktop or laptop computer has peaked, according to newly released insight from Kantar Media’s futurePROOF study. The futurePROOF study looks at consumer usage of digital devices and media and found that whilst the overall percentage of adults watching television on demand has remained consistent across the year at 47%, there has been a shift in the devices used for on demand viewing.
The results of the UK study bears similarities to a recent study carried out in the US by the NPD group, which identified how US consumers were starting consume more online video – and all video, not just catch up – via their connected TVs (which VAN believes will have extremely significant implications for video advertising as we know it today – see ‘What Next for Video Advertising as the TV Overtakes the PC for Online Video‘).
Kantar say the number of adults in Britain viewing content on demand via TV has increased by 16% over the course of 2012, while the number of adults viewing via tablets has doubled over the same period, and mobile viewing has increased by 39%. The most common screen for on demand TV viewing is the television (33% of adults have watched on demand through a TV set in the last month) followed by laptop/desktop computers (20%), tablets (5%) and mobile phones (5%).
Kantar say the growth of viewing on mobile devices is growing partly because there are simply so more devices in the market, but also because mobile viewing fulfils a different need. These screens, although smaller, give access to TV content where the TV set is not available.
Trevor Vagg, Director of Kantar Media Custom, said, “This demonstrates the range of screens viewers are now using to watch TV on demand, but the best experience, and most comfortable way to watch, is usually in front of a TV set. Aggressive promotion of the availability of on demand services through TV sets has accompanied wider availability of 7-day catch up, thanks to developments like Sky’s re-launched On Demand service and Virgin TiVo. On demand viewing via the TV looks set to grow further, as more services are set to launch. BBC iPlayer and 4oD are due to become available via Sky On Demand in 2013.”
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