GfK: Half of U.S. Pay-TV Homes Use TV Everywhere Services

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NEW YORK: The usage of TV Everywhere services is growing, despite a relatively low awareness of the offerings among consumers, according to a new GfK study.

The study reveals that 53 percent of consumers in pay-TV homes have used TVE to watch shows on a computer, mobile device or TV set, an increase of 10 percent from 2012. Also, 42 percent in pay-TV households have taken advantage of TVE offerings from signal providers, while 46 percent have used TV network services. Mobile devices are the main driver of this growth, with monthly use having doubled since 2012 for mobile apps and websites from TV signal providers and networks alike.

Young adult consumers reported stronger use of TV Everywhere services. Among Generations Y (age 13 to 35) and X (36 to 49), use of mobile TVE sites and apps, as well as smart TV apps, was two- to four-times higher than for Baby Boomers (50 to 64). This pattern holds for TV network and service provider offerings alike.

However, even though there is growth in TVE use, only 25 percent of consumers (13 to 64) report having heard of the expression “TV Everywhere”—essentially the same level as in 2012. Three-quarters of TVE users say that they find it easy to locate programs they want to view and sign in, though many seem unaware of key features, and the need for authentication continues to discourage some potential adopters.

“Consumer education continues to be a critical missing piece of the puzzle for TV Everywhere,” said David Tice, the senior VP in media and entertainment at GfK. “With a notable proportion of people in pay-TV homes already using TVE, greater awareness and understanding of the services could drive even higher adoption. Greater success of TV Everywhere could help pay-TV services stave off becoming ‘dumb’ broadband pipes, and also assist TV networks in maintaining their status as the original aggregators of high quality video content.”