Avid announced new research findings that reveal consumer television viewing trends and preferences in today’s multi-screen environment. The independent study, conducted by Ovum and commissioned by Avid, surveyed more than 3,000 consumers globally. The survey revealed that quality content remains the strongest driver of viewer engagement and that there are growing opportunities for profit in archived content.

65% of consumers surveyed identified image and audio quality as the key driver of enjoyment, and 37% said they would pay for archived episodes of their favourite shows. However, their willingness to pay is highly dependent not just on their personal preferences, but also on the situational context in which a content offer is being made. A summary of the findings can be found here. Additional conclusions from this research also include… 

• Second screens create opportunity in mass media events: It is becoming vital for live broadcasters to deliver content to the second screen that can capitalise on the additional engagement potential of these devices.

  • Local or national pride and excitement were the biggest reasons viewers watched mass media events such as the Olympics.

  • While watching the Olympics on TV, 63 percent of viewers were simultaneously using PCs, tablets or smartphones to gain access to related information.

Avid have done well here to commission this research especially as there is no direct ‘sales’ gains to be made from it. The figure of 37% for people who would pay for archived shows is born out by the model Apple is pushing forward on.  You can also see it in Netflix and other on line providers, however if the asset owners could get their act together then they could take all the revenue and profit from this channel rather than give it to 3rd parties.