Commercial TV Study

Only 15% of people would be prepared to invest in cable or satellite receiving equipment if their favourite programmes moved onto satellite, according to a new study conducted by NOP for Key Note.

The report counters industry predictions that the recent TV franchise round could provide a boost for cable and satellite, with more popular programmes put on the open market.

In addition, the report finds that press advertising has been gaining share over television; “TV expenditure has lost share over the past five yearsand now accounts for less than 30% of the total.”

Key Note sees the high air-time costs, uncertainty about the future of the industry during the transitional phase, and the fragmentation of audiences by the growth of more channels as the main influence of this trend; obviously, the economic recession has exacerbated the situation.

The study expects ITV audiences to be down to around 42% by the year 2000 (from 73.6% at present), with satellite up to 23% and cable up to 17% and the new Channel 5 taking 3.2% of the audience.

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