Cable Companies Unveil Latest Data On Consumer Trends
Results Highlight Innovative Cable Services
Results Highlight Innovative Cable Services
(Las Vegas, NV – January 3, 2006) – This week at the annual International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the cable industry will discuss the changing tide in consumer viewing habits from transactional television to TV-to-go, cable services that are designed to enhance the consumer experience in 2006. In fact, today's consumer is more plugged-in than ever before and using technology in many more facets of daily life.
In an effort to better understand the digital consumer, CTAM conducted an Influencers Survey of tech-savvy individuals to gauge interest in current and upcoming technologies. Respondents said Internet access (44 percent) and mobile phones (27 percent) were the technologies that made the greatest improvement over the past decade. Additional research indicates that households with digital cable service were better connected and more tech-savvy than households without cable or with satellite. In fact, a higher percent of digital cable subscribers intend to purchase HDTVs (16 percent), video game systems (22 percent) and portable video players (11 percent) than satellite customers (8, 13 and 5 percent, respectively).
"Cable is about a lot more than traditional TV viewing," said Peter Stern, executive vice president of product management for Time Warner Cable. "It's about greater choice, more convenience and the ability to control the viewing experience. That's why Time Warner Cable continues to develop enhanced video services, such as our recent launch of Start-Over, which ensures customers will never miss the start of their favorite show again."
CES 2006
One of the most successful cable services being shown at CES this year is On Demand. Although On Demand was launched several years ago, consumers are now beginning to realize its full potential. More than half (51 percent) of all respondents to the survey expressed excitement about prime time and classic television programming available On Demand, and more than one-third (34 percent) say they are looking forward to the expanding library of free movies.
Furthermore, true On Demand, which is only available with digital cable, is expected to be in 29 million households by the end of 2006. Nearly three-fourths (72 percent) of all cable, and most (89 percent) digital cable customers, are familiar with the service.
"On Demand has become very popular among viewers and will continue to grow as cable adds new content every month," said Page Thompson, vice president and general manager of On Demand, Comcast. "Comcast alone had a record 130 million On Demand views, which is equivalent to 55 million hours spent watching On Demand, and nearly 6,000 shows available in the month of November. We anticipate this will be even higher in January when Sci-Fi On Demand will be featured."
In addition to On Demand, Interactive Television (ITV) is one of the newest cable services aimed at enhancing the viewing experience. ITV users will be able to look up information instantly on the Internet, check stock prices and fantasy sports league statistics, or even order take-out meals, all through their digital cable TV connection.
Finally, cable will also highlight wireless entertainment. The industry has partnered with wireless companies to provide consumers with a device integrated with their cable service that allows access to voice mail, email and live video streaming. For the first time ever, select live cable programming will be available to customers. The wireless handset will have interactive program guide-like capabilities, allowing consumers to select channels to watch, set recordings on their cable DVR and catch up on email.
"Cable companies are embracing wireless technology as one more way in which the consumer can enjoy cable content and also become integrated with their home network," said David Grabert, director, media relations, Cox Communications. "In addition to programming, consumers will be fully connected to email, voicemail and even their cable DVR."
For more information about cable's advanced services or for local cable company information, please visit http://www.ThisIsCable.com.
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About CTAM
CTAM, the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing, is dedicated to helping the cable industry grow by advancing consumer and business-to-business marketing excellence, facilitating collaborative marketing initiatives, and encouraging the mastery of new technology-based products. CTAM helps consumers understand the benefits of cable through national initiatives such as Cable Movers Hotline (SM) and CTAM On Demand Consortium. CTAM provides marketing education, information and networking opportunities to its more than 5,000 members, through conferences, consumer research, publications, http://www.ctam.com, a network of regional chapters, and the CTAM Educational Foundation's centerpiece initiative, the CTAM Executive Management Program at the Harvard Business School. In addition, consumers can learn more about the benefits of cable through national CTAM initiatives, such as ThisIsCable.com (SM).
