Study: Home Media Landscape Shifting to Digital Content

ARLINGTON: A new study from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) finds that more than half of online U.S. adults watch some form of streaming or downloaded video content in the home.

The new study, Connecting the Dots Between Consumers, Content and Consumer Electronics in the Home, finds that those consumers have a distinct preference for streaming verses downloaded content. More than half, 51 percent, view streaming content and spend an average of two hours per week watching, while only 15 percent download content and spend an average of one hour watching.

One in four consumers expressed an interest in buying a home media connectivity system. New home purchasers are shown to be a "sweet spot" in spurring adoption of connectivity systems. Of those interested in connectivity systems, 60 percent indicated that they were considering buying a system with the purchase of a new home.

“Technology allows consumers to access almost any content they desire instantaneously on Internet-connected devices,” said Chris Ely, the manager of industry relations for the CEA. “The rise of mobile broadband has resulted in the emergence of connected devices that are able to stream content directly from the Internet, and services that allow consumers to store and access content without the need of a hard drive.”

“Digital media consumption will continue to grow as the number of connected devices and services for accessing content improves and expands,” the study stated. “Manufactures, content providers, aggregators and service providers must work together to ensure the content customers want is accessible through different devices. The sooner the market is able to meet the consumers’ needs, the sooner the industry will reap the benefits.”