Flat-panel TV Penetration – One-third of all American households now have at least one flat-panel television and the percentage is rising. 71% of all TVs sold last year were flat, and the number is predicted to increase to 81.5% for this year. When they first came on the market in 1998 the average flat screen sold for about $6000; by 2003 that had dropped to $3,200, and this year the average is about $1800. Few home electronics products have come down in cost so quickly. 42 inches is the most popular overall size today. Smaller flat-panel models are beginning to be popular for viewing in kitchens and bathrooms – some priced as little as $200. One aspect that surprises some customers is the number of unsightly wires that must connect their equipment to the display – these are not shown in the clean and uncluttered advertising photos.
Surprises in European Media Survey – The 2008 Digital Entertainment Survey has been released by Wiggin, a law firm in the UK specializing in the media sector. It is based on a large-scale online survey in January of 1608 respondents in the UK. Some of the interesting findings included these answers to “Tell us whether you do any of these leisure activities:” Listen to radio 51%, Read paper or books 47%, Watch subscription TV 45%, Read newspapers 41%, Read magazines 35%. Listen to audio recordings did not appear in the 24 top possibilities, but “streaming music from social networks did appear with 12% and “filesharing music” with 8%. Under “Intentions:” “Watching moves on next-generation disk” & “Watching TV on PC via TVcard or USB tuner” got 24% and 12% respectively. Under “Which devices do you currently own or are considering to own?” digital cameras got 73% and mobile phones with Internet access got 62%. (Blu-ray and HD DVD players were way down the list.)
The survey found an astonishing divide in digital entertainment takeup and technology ownership between consumers of different ages. 7 out of 10 said they would stop downloading pirated media if they got a warning from their ISP. Over 70% said they downloaded illegally only because they couldn’t find the music they wanted on the legal sites. When asked what activites were the most emotionally engaging, the traditional media were listed first: listening to the radio, watching TV, reading books. Interest in on-demand video and audio was high, but consumers prefer it to be free. Recent movies, TV comedy programs and live music concerts were at the top of the on-demand list. Video streaming sites such as YouTube were found to impact the amount of scheduled TV being watched. When watching time-shifted commercial TV programs, the level of ad avoidance was astoundingly high. 30% of those visiting newspaper web sites said they have stopped buying newspapers or are buying less currently.
