HD take-up hampered by lack of female content

The success of high-definition TV has been hampered by a lack of content that appeals to women, according to a new report.

In the UK, nearly 20 million people have an HD-ready TV in their homes, but only half of them pay to watch HD programmes. Of those who do pay extra, only 39% agree that the better picture quality is worth the money. The report from market researchers Mintel found that women are much less enthusiastic than men about HD TV, and other technology, including Blu-ray and 3D.

HD has been driven by sport content and Mintel said the industry should concentrate on other genres if it wants to win over women viewers.