Questions over benefit and functionality of connected TV hinders popular uptake, reveals new Kantar Media insight

London, 1^st May 2012 – Most people in Britain with a connected TV actually lead a very disconnected TV existence, reveals newly released insight from Kantar Media’s futurePROOF study of consumer take up and usage of digital devices and media.

As a platform, connected TV is now well established, but Kantar Media’s research highlights that fewer than one in five adults in Britain (17%) have an ‘internet ready’ TV set. Furthermore, connectivity is not a key driver of the purchase of connected TV sets, with only 7% of adults owning a connected TV which they have actually connected to the internet in some way.

Indeed, motivations for purchasing connected TVs are largely focused on traditional drivers, such as screen size and picture quality, rather than connectivity. More than one in three adults (36%) simply do not see the point of accessing the internet through a TV set.

A perceived lack of comprehensive content presents one of the major barriers to greater connected TV usage. There is also a general lack of awareness of the services that are available and the advantages of accessing them via a main TV set. For users of connected TV, functionality, having to use the remote as a web input device, the absence of some major broadcasters and the loading time of apps are all common complaints. But, it is the irritation of ‘buffering’ when trying to watch a show through the broadband connection that causes greatest disillusionment for connected TV users.

Connected TV is seen most positively for services that harness the benefits of the living room setting. Kantar Media’s futurePROOF study reveals that four in ten people with a TV connected to the internet have watched TV programmes or films on demand through it in the last month. Similarly, video-based content that exploits the large screen is a real draw. This includes accessing YouTube content (done by 53% of connected TV viewers) and apps such as Skype, which can bring distant loved ones into the living room to be seen by the whole family.

Trevor Vagg, Director, Kantar Media Custom, comments:  “Our qualitative research identified a clear desire in connected TV households to make fuller use of the technology. However, it looks like development of connected TV will be more evolution than revolution with content availability, functionality and broadband speeds presenting significant obstacles to greater usage.”

“Promotion of internet video content that harnesses the strengths of the main TV and its setting will be key to growth, as will a more effective input device and a user interface that matches the user experience found on other web devices.”

“Currently, the connected TV user experience is, in many respects, analogous with the early days of WAP mobiles. The experience doesn’t match the promise of full internet connectivity via your TV. But it will come. There is clear potential for growth if manufacturers and content providers can overcome consumers’ current frustrations.”

Research methodology

The futurePROOF study is focused on adults (aged 16+) in Great Britain. Released bi-annually, it provides a snapshot of technology ownership and usage of digital media. A total of 2,062 people from Kantar Media’s TGI database took part via telephone. Fieldwork took place in February 2012. In addition, 6 in-home ethnographic interviews in connected TV households took place in March 2012.

For more information, please visit www.kantarmedia-custom.com

The launch of The Sun on Sunday triggered fevered speculation about the future of the Sunday newspaper market. Latest research from Kantar Media indicates that whilst the first issues of Britain’s newest newspaper recorded encouraging readership figures, sustaining readers may prove to be more of a challenge.

The new insights reveal that 12% of those polled read the first issue of The Sun on Sunday – a similar proportion of adults in Britain who read the News of the World during its final weeks.

However, just 38% of former News of the World readers picked up the first issue of The Sun on Sunday.

In the immediate aftermath of the News of the World’s closure, similar research from Kantar Media suggested that the vast majority (86%) of their readers would choose another title, rather than dropping out of the market altogether.

The evidence from Kantar Media’s latest survey indicates that many of these former NOTW readers are returning to the News International stable. Of those who were News of the World readers but have since read the Sunday Mirror – 49% read the first issue of the Sun on Sunday. One in three readers of The People also read the Sun on Sunday in its first week along with 26% of readers of the Daily Star on Sunday.

 Although official ABC figures are yet to be released, Rupert Murdoch announced via Twitter that the first issue of the Sun on Sunday sold more than 3.2 million copies. Subsequently he tweeted “What will second Sunday edition of Sun sell? My guess down fifteen per cent would be a great result”. The Kantar Media poll reveals that he may not be too far off as 85% of those who read the paper in its first outing said they will likely read again the following week.

Very early industry estimates put sales of the second issue, 17% down on its first week.

However, despite stealing a march on some of its rivals, the data suggests that the outlook for The Sun on Sunday is not wholly positive. Almost a quarter (23%) of all Sunday newspaper readers surveyed agreed that News International’s latest offering will become their main Sunday newspaper.

This rises to almost 60% among those who read the Sun on Sunday in its first week but it may take longer, however, to win back former News of the World readers on a permanent basis.

Fewer than half (44%) of former News of the World readers agreed that The Sun on Sunday will become their main newspaper, almost 40% remain undecided.

This is the same proportion of former News of the World readers who also agree that “The phone hacking scandal has made me more negative towards The Sun”.

If the Sun on Sunday is to be a long-term success beyond the high figures achieved following its launch, convincing the undecided former News of the World readers will be crucial. It remains to be seen whether the competitive cover pricing and multiplatform advertising campaign will be enough to win-over these readers beyond the first few issues.     

Research methodology

A representative sample of 1,028 adults took part in an online survey conducted by Kantar Media between February 28^th and March 1^st 2012. A reader was defined as those who have read a Sunday newspaper for at least two minutes in the last four weeks.  The survey data were weighted to match the profile of GB Sunday newspaper readers (Almost Always or Quite Often) as determined by NRS.

If press reports are to be believed we have just entered the Post-PC epoch. So just what does this mean? Whilst at first glance it seems like something that will have Jeremy Clarkson and Frankie Boyle dancing in the aisles, freed at last from Ofcom reprimands, rather it is the heralding of a new era in which the trusty old personal computer is a thing of the past. New insights from Kantar Media can gauge just how feasible such claims are. Read the rest of this entry »

A Kantar Media report for Ofcom examining the most effective ways of conducting research into illegal file-sharing.

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/telecoms-research/filesharing/kantar.pdf

LONDON 18 November 2011 – Kantar Media secured its position as a global thought leader in media research when it won two prestigious awards at this year’s Print and Digital Research Forum in San Francisco, USA.

Best Overall Paper was awarded to Peter Callius, Senior Advisor at Kantar Media Sweden and Peter Masson from Masson and Bucknull, UK.

The paper, entitled ‘If You Build It, Will They Come?’, examines developments in multimedia planning and the benefits and challenges for media planners. The paper also won the award for Best Presentation.

Andy Brown, Chairman of Kantar Media commented, “We’re delighted and extremely proud at having received these accolades at what is regarded as one of the industry’s most prestigious events. They highlight Kantar’s hard work and continual dedication towards cementing its expertise in print, readership and digital media research throughout the global industry.”

This year Kantar Media also received runner-up accolades for Best Presentation with ‘Creative Benchmarking: A new answer to an old question’ by Liz McMahon, Head of UK Custom; and ‘UGC: Friend or Foe?’ by Geoff Wicken, Head of TGI International. In addition, the runner-up for the Chairman’s Prize was given to ‘Linking Website Exposure Data to Survey Data’ by Jayne Krahn, Kantar Media  and Jeff Landi, Safecount.

The top two awards were also won by Kantar Media in 2009.

About the Print and Digital Research Forum

The biennial session took place this year from 10-13 October. It provides a global forum for advertising agencies, publishers, industry bodies and researcher and software providers to share expertise and develop credible business models based on thorough research papers.  It attracts leading professionals on research in the print and digital readership industry.

The Forum continues in the tradition of its forerunner, the Worldwide Readership Research Symposium, whose first Symposium was held in 1981. The organisation is not-for-profit. This year’s Print and Digital Research Forum was attended by 155 delegates from 27 countries and 55 papers were discussed and evaluated during the event.

About Kantar Media

Kantar Media provides strategic advice and competitive intelligence to the world’s leading brands, publishers and agencies, helping them navigate and succeed in a rapidly evolving media industry. This includes analysis of paid media opportunities; counsel on brand reputation, corporate management and consumer engagement through owned media; and, evaluating consumers’ reactions in earned media.  Kantar Media provides clients with a broad range of insights, from audience research, competitive intelligence, vital consumer behaviour and digital insightsto marketing effectiveness and online influence. Our experts currently work with 22,000 companies tracking 3 million brands in 50 countries.

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To Pay Or Not To Pay

The vast majority of former News of the World readers (86%) will choose another title, rather than dropping out of the Sunday newspaper market as some commentators have predicted. A quarter (26%) of people who had read the News of the World in the past four weeks indicated that they will read the Mail on Sunday most often from now on, 24% will choose the Sunday Mirror with 14% choosing The People and seven per cent opting for the Daily Star Sunday. Only 11% suggested they would migrate to any of the quality titles. These are newly released findings from Kantar Media who polled 1,001 Sunday newspaper readers on Monday 18th July. Read the rest of this entry »