CTAM Study Tracks Viewer Habits

Lieberman Research Worldwide conducted the “Second Annual Tracking the Evolving Use of Television and Its Content” study for the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing.

The researcher polled more than 1,200 adults 18 and older living in cable and/or direct-broadcast satellite households on their television and related technology preferences and practices in October 2004.

Among the study’s findings:

• Overall, viewers are enjoying their television experience more compared with five years ago, with 38% saying “much more” compared with 17% responding “much less.”

• A total of 32% of households with televisions have digital-cable service, up from 26% in 2003, while analog-cable households fell to 49% from 56% during the same period.

• A total of 49% of customers with interactive programming guides agreed strongly that the technology makes it easy to find something to watch, and one-third said IPGs make television more enjoyable, help them to plan their viewing and expand the variety of programs they watch.

• As far as digital-video recorders, 56% of DVR owners like having so many channels to choose from compared with 47% of non-owners, while 35% said the enjoyment they receive from TV is better than ever versus 29% of non-owners.

• A total of 53% of digital-cable customers are subscribing to high-speed Internet service, versus 27% for DBS or 26% for analog cable. And, more women are getting in the driver's seat. And 46% of those with high-speed connections were female, compared with 38% in 2003.