Consumers Take Digital Convergence in Stride

A new international research study amongst Digital TV owners byconsultants Understanding and Solutions in association with BBCWorldwide shows a current trend to ‘multi-platform’ growthin multimedia content consumption, rather than‘convergence’ onto a particular platform, e.g. TV orPC.

This conclusion is drawn from a survey of over 2000 digitalTV-owning homes in UK, France, USA, and Japan designed to profileownership, perceptions, and usage of television, PCs, gaming consoles,and mobile phones.

According to the Understanding & Solutions survey, the role ofthe television as the primary entertainment hub is being reinforced inconsumers’ minds by the advent of multi-channel interactiveDigital TV, which is primarily being driven by greater programmechoice. Digital TV interest is also being helped by the rapid adoptionof DVD and advanced TV-oriented gaming platforms such as Sony’sPS2 as well as audiovisual quality enhancement through innovations suchas Dolby Surround Sound and widescreen pictures.

Digital TV owners generally see the PC as the primary home gatewayto the Internet for e-mail/messaging, information access and e-commerce(e.g. home shopping, ticketing) plus a growing range of multimediaentertainment content and multi-functionality, e.g. streamingaudio/video services,downloads, music, and online gaming. The role ofthe PC for accessing the Internet is being strengthened by broadbandnetwork connectivity, with particularly high growth inInternet-delivered entertainment services, which benefit from greaterbandwidth.

The U&S study surveyed consumer attitudes in US, Japan, UK andFrance. In each country, variances in consumer culture, broadcastenvironment, lifestyle, and market development were reflected in theresults. For example, the UK and France both show a relatively stronginterest in interactive TV and additional television informationservices amongst digital TV owners. Results in USA and Japan, on theother hand, generally found lower levels of interest in interactivetelevision or additional TV information services, reflecting theirrespective broadcast cultures, advanced development of Internet andunique influences such as Japan’s accelerated Broadband rolloutand co-location of PCs with television in living rooms. However, in USAand Japan, there is still significant multi-platform interest isspecific service categories such as games, shopping, and news.

The survey found very high levels of mobile phone usage and interestin information and entertainment services in Japan, reflecting auniquely developed market for non-voice mobile services in that market.Latent ‘mobile Internet’ interest in European markets andUSA is also significant, but relatively unexploited at the presenttime.

About Understanding & Solutions
Understanding & Solutions is a leading specialist research andknowledge-based consultancy to the content, media and technologysectors. Founded 15 years ago, the company has offices in Europe, NorthAmerica, and Asia and includes many global market leaders amongst itsregular clients. Its original research methodologies includelarge-scale consumer surveys as undertaken for the Digital TV ownersstudy, which was conducted in association with BBC Worldwide.