Freeview PVR owners watch less TV than Sky+ and V+ users
New research by Starcom Mediavest Group has found that Freeview personal video recorder (PVR) owners watch less TV than Sky+ and V+ users.
According to the SMG research, PVR owners overall are watching television in shorter spurts, meaning that the shows they do watch “are increasingly the preserve of big budget broadcasters who can afford to acquire or create this content. This in turn allows them to command price premiums for advertising brands.”
SMG said that one of the ways advertisers can combat the fall in TV viewing is by using alternative advertising platforms such as video on demand to “help maximise cost efficiencies against real target audiences”, and sponsorship to offset the the ad-skipping effects of PVRs.
The research also found that:
- By the end of 2010 50% of households will own a PVR
- Viewers who upgrade from Freeview to Freeview PVR watch around 50 minutes less TV per day than their pay-TV counterparts – more than 20% less than Sky+ and V+ viewers, making them the hardest audience to reach.
- When it comes to Non Programme Minutes ( ads, sponsorships and programme promotions) Freeview PVR viewers experience the biggest proportional drop off post-PVR acquisition – a fall of 21.2%.