Digital TV News

Are you watching more TV online?

Monday 23 January, 2012

By Kelvin Goodson

Use of streaming services to watch TV online is on the up.

Streamed TV is becoming an increasingly conventional way of watching television in the UK.

The use of online streaming services like BBC iPlayer, ITV Player and 4oD is on the up, especially among younger people, according to a survey by accountancy firm KPMG.

BBC iPlayer is the most recognised streaming service available in the UK, with nine out of ten having heard of it. ITV Player and LOVEFiLM are the next most recognised services, KPMG’s Media & Entertainment Barometer found.

The Barometer, a survey of media trends conducted every six months by researchers YouGov on behalf of KPMG, also revealed that we are increasingly willing to pay for online streaming services.

Of those who responded to the survey, 64% said they would pay to watch films online, compared to 60% in March last year.

We are also a little more tempted by pay-TV in general, with 30% of those surveyed willing to subscribe to pay-TV services compared to 27% in September 2010 and 28% in March 2011.

Of those of us who do or are thinking about paying to subscribe to a film, music or TV service, TV is the preferred medium.

David Elms, head of media at KPMG, said: “The foundations for online streaming services to be successful appear to be set. Not only is awareness and usage of streaming high, but willingness to pay for content has increased too.

“There are, however, barriers, not least the likely cost of set-top boxes. What is more, by the end of 2012, everyone in the UK will have digital terrestrial TV, with the choice of between 20 and 30 channels. That’s a lot of free TV. It is possible that the majority of TV households don’t actually need anything more.”

The Barometer found that, while the use of traditional media is generally in decline, watching TV is not.

Photo by alex_lee2001