British Consumers Cite Frustration with Lack of Accessibility to Content

LONDON: Three-quarters (74 percent) of U.K. consumers say that they cannot find anything to watch on live TV on a weekly basis, as a result of the continued proliferation of content to new platforms and devices, according to research conducted by Red Bee Media.

The survey also finds that 71 percent want the freedom to choose what they want to watch, when they want to watch it: 45 percent want access to all back episodes, 39 percent want catch-up to be available for longer, 34 percent are interested in having multi-room wireless access to content on any screen. Also, 33 percent say they want the whole live TV schedule available on catch up. More than one-fifth (21 percent) say they are frustrated when they can’t access a U.K. program while abroad.

More than half of British consumers think that content should be released at the same time all over the world; 46 percent believe that illegal downloads would be greatly reduced if it was possible to pay to watch these TV shows from another countries instead of having to wait for a local release date. This shows that U.K. consumers are prepared to pay for content, but want more control over what they are buying. Twenty percent say they believe they will be spending more on TV in the future, while 63 percent say they will spend the same.

Nearly one-third (31 percent) of consumers say they would be interested in new content packages via Internet-connected TV if they could customize the channels they would be receiving and paying for. A third (33 percent) of pay-TV subscribers in the U.K. would consider downgrading or cancelling their subscriptions if there was a cheaper solution for receiving movies. Another 33 percent would do the same if they could skip watching ads in TV content.

“Viewers are more engaged with TV and movies than ever before and it is clear that our industry will continue to experience an unprecedented level of change. The results show that viewers are increasingly savvy about what they watch and how and when they watch it and they are ever more cynical about current offers when their preference is for a more immediate, selective and flexible experience,” said Bill Patrizio, the CEO of Red Bee Media. “This research provokes us to listen closely to what tomorrow’s consumer has to say and ask ourselves whether or not their expectations are driving our industry’s innovation agenda.”