Faster broadband has little effect on online TV viewing

Nearly a third of UK people feel online TV viewing is unimportant, according to a recent survey.

Of the 2,123 people surveyed, 29% said there was “little importance” in being able to watch TV online. Those aged 18-24 were, unsurprisingly, most likely to watch TV online.

The survey, commissioned by the Guardian newspaper and carried out by consultants Deloitte and research group YouGov, also revealed that broadband speed has little effect on most people’s online viewing habits, with 53% of respondents saying they wouldn’t watch more online TV and video clips even with a faster and more reliable broadband connection. For those aged 18-24, the figure was 43%.

The survey also delved into what type of video content consumers are watching online. News and comedy were the most viewed genres of online video, with 34% of respondents saying they watched them, followed by music with 30% and sport and factual programming coming third equal with 23%. Reality TV programmes were the least watched with just 7% of respondents admitting to it.
The research found that 54% of viewers surf the internet while watching TV with that proportion rising to 74% in the 18-to-24 year old age group.