Advertisers’ Fears Eased As TiVo Withdraws From UK
The manufacturer of personal video recorders that allow TV viewers to skip adverts between their favourite programmes is withdrawing from the UK after less than three years.
The launch of TiVo video recorders capable of recording up to 40 hours of TV, scanning 90 channels and pausing live shows, caused a stir back in 2000 when it emerged that viewers would be able to fast forward through commercial breaks for the first time (see BSkyB To Bring Personal TV Viewing To The UK).
It was claimed that the new technology would change the way we watch TV with serious side-effects for the advertising industry (see Economist Researches Attitudes To TV). However, the company has come to the end of its manufacturing contract with Thomson, meaning that the TiVo personal video recorders (PVR) will no longer be produced in the UK.
Reports suggest that fewer than 50,000 of the £399 TiVo PVR’s were sold, despite some stores reducing the price to £99 before Christmas. The company has not released its UK subscriber figures but they are thought to be around the 5,000 mark.
In a statement for its UK operations, TiVo said: “Unfortunately we no longer have any stock of the Thomson digital video recorder. This is as a result of Thomson’s contract to manufacture the units for the UK market coming to an end. Some high street and online electrical retailers may have limited stock but we cannot guarantee availability at any location.”
It is understood that TiVo has decided to concentrate on its home market in the US, where the box has been on sale for five years. Sony and Toshiba have signed deals to make the device in the US, but it is not known whether they plan to release them over here.
TiVo’s retreat from the UK will not spell the end for PVRs as Sky still produces its Sky+ set top box, which has similar features to the TiVo device.
TiVo: 08702 418486 www.tivo.co.uk
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