Internet trumps TV, consumers say

Stephen Withers
Tuesday, 20 May 2008 12:31

Business IT - Networking

The premium price of new high definition cable services may be a moot point according to survey findings released today. Broadband users spend far more time on the net than in front of their TVs.

A survey of broadband consumers carried out for Cisco found an average of 22 hours per week of Internet use, and only 14 hours of TV use.

iTWire readers have been complaining about the price of cable and satellite TV provider Foxtel's forthcoming high-definition service and these figures help explain why: average viewing of Foxtel's top-end package works out at over $A2 per hour even if you assume subscribers solely watch subscription channels - which they don't.

But it's not that those broadband users aren't interested in watching moving pictures. 59 percent of them had watched or downloaded "media content" - notably short video clips, music videos and news programming - during the previous month.

What was the primary reason for seeking online content? You can probably guess the answer: it's free.

Even though Cisco's media release didn't mention it and the survey may not have asked ("don't ask, don't tell"?), it seems likely that that a proportion of the downloads are unauthorised copies of TV shows. Some previous surveys have suggested that Australians are among the biggest consumers of such content. Anecdotally, there is little sign that TV stations' move to broadcast shows more promptly after their US debuts has had any effect.

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