Majority of Network TV Viewers Are Ready for Interactive TV Programming, Study Says
BOSTON — May 8, 2001 — According to a recent interactive TV study by TechTrends Inc., most major pay TV networks can simplify their ITV programming decisions by recognizing which services are most likely to satisfy their loyal viewers. Frequent viewers of Nickelodeon, for instance, exhibit the highest percentage of interest in 5 of 11 leading ITV services, followed by viewers of Lifetime TV (3 of 11). The study also reveals that a greater percentage of Nickelodeon viewers than other network viewers access the Internet on their PC while watching TV.
(Chart: http://www.techtrends.com/newrelease.html)
Additional data findings from the study reveal that:
* Video-on-demand, the most popular application among all viewers, sees the most interest from Nickelodeon viewers.
* Internet access rates are highest among people who watch ESPN often.
* Broadband Internet access is most prevalent among frequent viewers of CNN.
* TV-based banking and investing services are most popular among frequent CNN viewers.
* Personalized TV channels attract the most interest from frequent TNT viewers.
* TV-based Internet services appeal most to frequent viewers of the USA Network, although more TBS viewers are willing $18 per month for these services.
Data reports for 21 TV networks measure the interest level and price sensitivity for 11 interactive TV services: Web-browsing and e-mail, video-on-demand, shopping, video games, personalized TV channels, time-shifting live TV, banking and investing, ordering groceries and restaurant meals, and printing digital photos and product information/coupons.
TechTrends has published 12 separate reports, covering A&E, CNN, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, ESPN, Lifetime, Nickelodeon, TBS Superstation, TLC, TNT, USA Network and The Weather Channel.
Each report also identifies viewers’ gender, age, number of TV sets per household, type of TV broadcast delivery, hours per week spent watching TV, type of Internet access, percentage that are simultaneous PC Internet and TV users, and interest in various genres of TV programming (for ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS broadcast network reports).