Survey looks at the latest viewing patterns

Consumers are growing increasingly disenchanted with their overall television experience but are nonetheless remaining remarkably loyal to their favorite programs, according to results from Accenture’s inaugural Global Broadcast Consumer Survey. Accenture conducted the survey to analyze how people in multiple global markets consume and respond to broadcast content, and how they are adapting to the new content delivery methods.

The survey found that although television remains the predominant mass communications device worldwide, with 97% of respondents watching TV in a typical week, consumption patterns vary based on a number of factors including geography, age and socio-economic status. While some 70% of consumers watch four or more television programs a week, 71% of them watch programs on four or more television channels.

The survey also found that while 83% of the respondents expressed discontent with watching “live” (e.g., broadcast or cable) TV, a 33% are still watching eight or more programs per week, including 41% of American and 39% of British consumers. This change in behavior poses a significant threat to television networks unless they understand how to deliver content directly to consumers through new digital channels, the survey found.

In the US, 46% of 18-24-year-olds view content via mobile devices; but there is considerably less interest among those 55 and older (19%). This dramatic behavioral shift represents the beginnings of a wave of change that will ultimately transform the content production and distribution marketplace worldwide.

According to the survey, consumers have already developed some ideas about what type of content fits best on which alterative device. One in four (27%) would enjoy watching full TV episodes on their PCs, while the same number (27%) would like to receive public service info; 26% to watch new content not normally on TV; and 25% content they themselves create. Fewer would like to receive program highlights (16%) or shortened versions of TV episodes.

Consumers are beginning to discern the genres they prefer to watch live or on demand. 46% of consumers prefer to watch sports and news live. 23% of consumers prefer to watch dramas and situation comedies “on demand.”
TV commercials are what respondents disliked most about live TV. Commercials are by far the top complaint (64%), followed by not being able to ‘rewind’ (40%) and not being able to watch programs at the viewer’s convenience (38%). Much less troublesome are unappealing content (14%), and being unable to watch programs away from home (8%), to interact (7%) or to rate programs (7%).