Advanced Television

Online TV: Users aging, Social networking not important

January 20, 2011

SideReel, the independent online TV destination, has released results from an online video survey of 1800+ users. Conducted in December 2010, the survey identifies usage patterns in the areas of social media, Web TV, and the use of connected devices.

“People are mixing new technologies with familiar ones to get a personalised TV experience that includes all of their favourite shows,” said SideReel CEO Roman Arzhintar. “For many, traditional TV watching is starting to supplement online watching, rather than the other way around.”

Highlights of the survey include:

Social media

Social Media is important to just 25 per cent of online TV watchers. While 29 per cent used Twitter, none of the check-in services including GetGlue, Miso, Clicker or Foursquare have significant usage among SideReel’s TV watchers. Only 10 pe rcent of users want to broadcast what they are watching or want to watch to their friends. Only 25 per cent of SideReelers want to know what their friends are watching – down 50 per cent from last year.

Connecting Computers & TVs

Forty per cent had connected their computer to their TV in the past month, a three-fold increase over last year’s results. Sixty per cent of people connecting a device to a TV connect their computer, and five per cent use a box like Roku, Boxee or Google TV.

Netflix

Twenty-four per cent of SideReel visitors subscribe to Netflix. Seventy per cent of users who stream video via the Internet to their TV do so using Netflix. Thirty per cent of users stream video other than Netflix to their TVs.

Time Spent Watching/Cord Trimming

Users who watch more than 10 hours per week are less likely to have cable than users who watch less than 10 hours online – these are likely tomorrow’s cord cutters, or cord trimmers. 72 per cent of SideReel users watch more than five hours of TV online per week.

Mobile

Thirty per cent of SideReel users own an iOS device. Sixteen per cent own an Android device. Just over five per cent of SideReel users have an iPad.

Categories: Articles, Connected TV, Consumer Behaviour, IPTV, OTT, OTT, Research, VOD