Choice Pleases Digital Viewers But Encourages “Flickaholics”
Digital TV may be pleasing its subscribers with an increased range of channels, but what is it doing for their relationships? New research from BMRB International has shown that the “couch commandos'” sport of choice – “flicking” – is even more popular amongst the men digital households with digital TV, but that women are not such avid fans of the habit.
The discussions forming BMRB’s research revealed that digital viewers tend to feel that there is always something on that they would like to watch and that they like the fact that they know what to expect on specialist channels. However, the choice sometimes means that once digital TV is installed other activities such as reading or sleeping lose out to watching television. What’s more, with respondents claiming they did little forward planning of their viewing, a fear of missing another programme or overlooking an undiscovered channel leads to the dreaded flicking.
Gary Austin, associate director at Media@BMRB said, “The study shows that viewers certainly enjoy the increased choice available, but selecting from that choice has changed viewer behaviour within households. The EPGs have been very well received, but for men the temptation to flick through channels is too great- even if it means irritating their partners.”
Some respondents who had changed from Sky analogue to Sky Digital said the instant picture when the channel changed, as opposed to the slight delay with analogue, was more conducive to flicking. However, some men came up with no such excuses, simply saying “I just do it to annoy the wife.”
One male Sky Digital viewer from Stockport described his experience: “I’m a flickaholic…I just go crazy. If there isn’t something specific I want to watch, I’ll be up and down them 40 channels. Up and down until there’s something that catches the eye and it could catch the eye for about two minutes then I’ll be off again.”
Not all viewing is unplanned however, and programmes such as soaps, ER and Friends were named as the basis of some viewing plans. In addition it was found that some digital viewers had stopped using TV listings magazines altogether in favour of flicking or EPGs.
Electronic Programme Guides (EPGs) received a positive response from customers of all the platforms, but especially Sky Digital. They are seen as easy to use, quick and informative, but ONdigital customers thought their EPGs were not as extensive as Sky’s and cable digital customers said their EPGs could be slow or weren’t updated enough.
BMRB: 020 8566 5000