Industry trends

Where does cord cutting fit in US Over the Top trends?.

Jul 31, 2015 | By InPlayer

As Over the Top (OTT) continues in its growth in popularity, for the viewing of on demand video content, so it’s interesting to take a look at the ongoing trends, especially in the area of cord-cutting, and the services viewers use.

Cord-cutting, also popular as cord-cheating, whereby pay TV subscribers seek an alternative way of viewing on demand content, is an ever growing phenomenon. A recent report released by Digitalsmiths included informative data, concerning the habits and purchase trends around cord-cutting in the US.

Why is cord-cutting so popular?

One of the main attractions of OTT content is the ability to watch it on mobile devices. There’s an ever increasing appetite for watching content on the move, and OTT enables this. Streaming subscriptions, such as those offered by Netflix, also provide an affordable option for access to an array of online content, as do the one-off purchase provisions offered by providers such as Amazon. OTT is also popular for the accessibility to certain content that it provides. If a viewer wants to watch a whole season of a TV show at one time, subscribing to an OTT provider gives them the opportunity to do so.

According to the Digitalsmiths report, 47% of respondents in the first quarter of 2015 listed the ability to watch whole seasons as their main reason for using OTT providers. This was compared to 60.1% who listed convenience as the deciding factor, and 50.1% who listed affordability.

Exactly how popular is OTT, and what services do people use?

The ease of access to OTT content, and the costings, help to make it an option that sees ever increasing uptake. It’s also important to note that the varied choice of available providers adds to the popularity; purchasers have access to choices as to how they purchase content.

Providers such as Netflix and Hulu offer subscription services which enable viewers to choose what content they have access to, and how they can view it, on an ongoing basis. This means that subscribers can watch as many of the available seasons of a show that they wish to, for one monthly subscription fee. According to the 2015 quarter one figures from the Digitalsmith report, 54.4% of respondents said that they pay a monthly subscription to watch OTT content.

Providers such as Redbox Kiosks and Amazon give viewers the opportunity to purchase only the exact content they want to see, from one episode of a TV show to an entire season or a movie. This is the perfect option for those who don’t want to take on the regular expenditure on subscription. Digitalsmiths reported that 39.2% of respondents stated that they used these services to acquire OTT content.

As the popularity of OTT continues to rise, so more people are becoming aware of the ability to access live and linear content, via providers such as CBS All Access and Hulu Plus. 55.7% of respondents to Digitalsmiths, said they were aware of this content, which can only add to the popularity of OTT going forward.

So, are you ready to cut the cord?

Where does cord cutting fit in US Over the Top trends?

As Over the Top (OTT) continues in its growth in popularity, for the viewing of on demand video content, so it’s interesting to take a look at the ongoing trends, especially in the area of cord-cutting, and the services viewers use.

Cord-cutting, also popular as cord-cheating, whereby pay TV subscribers seek an alternative way of viewing on demand content, is an ever growing phenomenon. A recent report released by Digitalsmiths included informative data, concerning the habits and purchase trends around cord-cutting in the US.

Why is cord-cutting so popular?

One of the main attractions of OTT content is the ability to watch it on mobile devices. There’s an ever increasing appetite for watching content on the move, and OTT enables this. Streaming subscriptions, such as those offered by Netflix, also provide an affordable option for access to an array of online content, as do the one-off purchase provisions offered by providers such as Amazon. OTT is also popular for the accessibility to certain content that it provides. If a viewer wants to watch a whole season of a TV show at one time, subscribing to an OTT provider gives them the opportunity to do so.

According to the Digitalsmiths report, 47% of respondents in the first quarter of 2015 listed the ability to watch whole seasons as their main reason for using OTT providers. This was compared to 60.1% who listed convenience as the deciding factor, and 50.1% who listed affordability.

Exactly how popular is OTT, and what services do people use?

The ease of access to OTT content, and the costings, help to make it an option that sees ever increasing uptake. It’s also important to note that the varied choice of available providers adds to the popularity; purchasers have access to choices as to how they purchase content.

Providers such as Netflix and Hulu offer subscription services which enable viewers to choose what content they have access to, and how they can view it, on an ongoing basis. This means that subscribers can watch as many of the available seasons of a show that they wish to, for one monthly subscription fee. According to the 2015 quarter one figures from the Digitalsmith report, 54.4% of respondents said that they pay a monthly subscription to watch OTT content.

Providers such as Redbox Kiosks and Amazon give viewers the opportunity to purchase only the exact content they want to see, from one episode of a TV show to an entire season or a movie. This is the perfect option for those who don’t want to take on the regular expenditure on subscription. Digitalsmiths reported that 39.2% of respondents stated that they used these services to acquire OTT content.

As the popularity of OTT continues to rise, so more people are becoming aware of the ability to access live and linear content, via providers such as CBS All Access and Hulu Plus. 55.7% of respondents to Digitalsmiths, said they were aware of this content, which can only add to the popularity of OTT going forward.

So, are you ready to cut the cord?

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