First Sensor Tracking Study Released

CIA MediaLab has released the findings of its first annual Sensor Tracking Study which quizzed over 13,000 adults on their opinions and attitudes towards media and advertising issues. Key findings include the fact that 20% of all adults in the UK would buy a car over the telephone, over 26% would buy financial services by direct mail and 49% would buy a PC from a catalogue. It is the 15-24 year-old age group that is particularly likely to adopt these ways of buying.

The number of adults claiming to be personally familiar with the Internet has almost doubled from 8% to 15%. Internet users are most likely to be male (20%), young (32% of 15-24 year-olds) and upmarket (22% of ABs). There is also a strong interest in satellite and cable television – 14% of respondents intend to subscribe to these services in the next year. New subscribers tend to be male (17%) and family-driven (46% of 25-44 year-olds). One quarter of all adults are looking forward to the increase in the number of satellite and cable channels over the next few years. Men (35%), young people (48% of 15-24 year-olds) and current subscribers (49%) are particularly looking forward to more channels.

Consumers are less keen however on seeing more traditional advertising on these new channels. The Study asked consumers how the amount of advertising on satellite and cable channels currently compares with that on terrestrial television. 63% believe that there is more advertising on satellite and cable, 15% disagree and 22% believe the amount is the same on both.

16% of all adults almost always flick over during the ad break. Non-terrestrial viewers (23%) are particularly likely to channel-hop, as are men (19%) and 15-24 year-olds (20%). 26% of adults would rather pay a subscription fee to watch a TV channel without ads than watch a free channel with ads. Upmarket ABs (34%) and current cable and satellite subscribers (30%) are particularly keen on this idea.

CIA MediaLab: 0171 633 9999