Anxiety about missing out on sporting events, and children pestering their parents are apparently the factors turning people on to Sky’s new digital television service, according to the latest survey by CIA Medialab.
In February, Sky reported that its Sky Digital service had attracted 350,000 subscribers since its launch in October 1998 (see Newsline). Around 120,000 of these subscriptions were brand new Sky customers – the rest were those who had converted from their existing analogue Sky subscriptions to digital. CIA’s research covered those subscribers who were new-comers to Sky Digital, not those who had migrated from its analogue satellite service.
Its findings reveal that one of the main factors encouraging people to sign on to Sky was the realisation, largely by men, that much, if not most, quality sports coverage is available only through Sky. Children nagging their parents for channels such as Nickelodeon and the Cartoon Network is cited by CIA as the other main contributing factor in encouraging people to finally opt for multi-channel television.
The marketing drive by Sky appears to have strengthened children’s pestering power, and the launch of Sky Digital itself provided the final incentive for people to both give in to their children’s persistence and their eagerness to have access to certain sporting tournaments, and buy into multi-channel TV for the first time.
New subscribers to Sky Digital do not appear to have been impressed by the prospect of multi-channel television or the newest technology. The Electronic Programme Guide has failed to be embraced with much enthusiasm, gathering more interest from children than their parents, who prefer to consult TV listings magazines for programme guides. Interestingly, these families also largely remain terrestrial viewers at heart, usually checking terrestrial channels first when deciding what to watch, and constantly referring back to terrestrial TV when exploring what’s on.
Conversion to digital has altered people’s viewing habits in some ways, according to CIA. Both fathers and children appear to be watching more television than before, but mothers reported watching the TV less. This was because other family members watching the additional content provided by digital blocked the few programmes which mothers made a point of viewing.
CIA’s findings suggest that those families who had resisted the lure of multi-channel television for some years were finally swayed by the arrival of digital, and that it was almost a distress purchase in an effort to keep the children happy and see the sports they miss by only having terrestrial television.
CIA Medialab: 0171 803 2000
