More than half of UK viewers time-shift their TV
May 19, 2008 - A new survey sponsored by Redback Networks has found that 57% of UK residents watch on-demand TV or recorded content each week, with around half of online Britons watching video or TV delivered over the open Internet.
The most popular methods for recording programmes in the UK were Sky+ (22%), PVRs and VHS machines (27%). A further 16% of respondents use Internet catch-up services such as the BBC's iPlayer, and 11% reported that they use on-demand television services.
"While the good old VHS recorder has created audience demand for time-shifted TV programmes, it is new game-changing Internet video services such as the BBC iPlayer which are reshaping how carriers upgrade their networks over time," said Philip Wilton, Director of Sales and Operations in the UK for Redback Networks. "This growth of video over broadband is reflected in what also we're back hearing from our service provider customers, with HTTP streaming traffic now outstripping P2P for downloading video content. Where Internet video was just about sharing content via P2P networks, it's now moved into the mainstream with viewers able to consume time shifted content direct from content provider, placing new strains on the network and the traffic it supports."
The survey found that Internet TV and video are quickly becoming established as regular channels for consuming video content, changing the viewing habits and experience for a new generation of viewers. Of those UK residents that have watched Internet TV or video, 56% expressed a clear preference for better Internet video content, 47% desired better Internet TV quality, and 37% wanted the ability to watch Internet video on a TV screen as opposed to a computer. In terms of content, short videos (42%), entertainment (27%) and news (24%) are the most popular type of content to watch on a computer rather than on TV.
The survey was carried out online by YouGov on behalf of Redback Networks, and total sample size was 2,168 adults.
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