Advanced Television

Multicultural viewers driving OTT consumption

June 24, 2015

A Horowitz Research study reveals 88 per cent of urban TV content viewers in the US have the ability to stream video content to a computer, mobile device, or directly to a TV. The study also reveals that multicultural viewers – traditionally pay-TV’s most valuable consumers—are more likely to have made OTT an integral part of their viewing lifestyle: 45 per cent of Black viewers, 46 per cent of Asian viewers, and 51 per cent of Hispanic viewers in the study report spending more than 20 per cent of their total TV viewing time watching OTT (39 per cent among White viewers).

“Multicultural consumers have always paved the way for new technology, especially when it comes to television and entertainment,” says Adriana Waterston, Horowitz’s SVP, Insights & Strategy.

The study reveals OTT capability and viewing differences by race: 81 per cent of Asians have mobile video capability (75 per cent among total) and, among OTT users, Asians are more likely to be mobile/computer-only streamers. Hispanics are more likely to have stream-to-TV capability (76 per cent vs. 70 per cent among total). Additionally, Hispanic OTT users are more likely to stream to multiple devices: 62 per cent stream to a TV and a mobile device or computer, compared to 57 per cent among total. Three-quarters (73 per cent) of Blacks have stream-to-TV capability. Blacks are also more likely to have a connected gaming console (53 per cent vs. 47 per cent among total).

Waterston adds, “OTT is shifting expectations around the user experience of television. Viewers expect better content, personalised recommendations, and a seemingly endless array of on-demand content on any platform. Video providers need to understand the sophisticated consumption habits of multicultural viewers, who have already made streaming a core part of their viewing lifestyles, to inform future content and distribution strategies.”

The study was conducted by Horowitz Research in January and February 2015 among 1,994 heads of household 18+ who are TV content viewers in urban (population 50,000+) markets.

Categories: Articles, Consumer Behaviour, Markets, OTT, OTT, Research