Interviews with Digital Media Thought Leaders

Internet TV: Consumer Attitudes

Podcast Video | Posted by Phil Leigh on April 21, 2009

If you would like to learn the latest thinking from Parks Associates about Internet-Video-to-the-TV, this interview is for you.

Our guest today is Kurt Scherf who is a Vice President and Principal Analyst at Parks Associates. He narrates a PowerPoint summarizing his latest white paper “From Boob Tube to YouTube”. It is available for free at his website.

We found three of Kurt’s conclusions of particular interest.

First, the two most popular items jacked-into TVs and also connected to the Internet are (1) console video game players and (2) computers. In the United States, about 13 million consoles and 7.5 million computers are thus connected. Inside Digital Media concludes that most of the computers are used for providing unrestricted Internet access to the TV whereas only a minority of the game consoles are accessing Internet Video. Moreover, most of the game consoles are getting videos either via rental or purchase as opposed to free ad-supported web sites. Consoles are primarily connected in order to enable multiplayer gaming.

Second, Parks surveys conclude that consumers are frustrated by the user interfaces presently available. In our analysis, those using hand-held remotes are more confusing than the familiar web browser that a computer-to-TV connection provides. This is one reason that future TVs may become browser-centric.

Third, consumers want more than mere access to web videos on Internet-connected TVs. In point of fact, Parks surveys reveal that they want (on the TV) email, search, and gaming, more than Internet Video, per se.

This is Third Generation Television.

To learn more click here where you can purchase a copy or our research report or download a free Prospectus.