What Do We Want From Our TV?: an Analysis Of Modern TV Experience Focusing On Consumer Habits And Expectations

Rapid developments in media technologies and increasing Internet speeds have given online television sources called Over The Top networks (OTT) the upper hand over traditional television, in terms of convenience, customizability and content availability without the cost of leading cable and satellite providers. The emergence and success of OTT networks caused a new trend: cable-cutting. The purpose of this study is to shed some light on the consumer decision between linear television and other television programming sources and platforms (consolidated under the name of 'Advanced TV'). A survey has been conducted by the researcher to find the current trends in consumer habits, wants and needs to understand the reasons behind the movement of television from traditional platforms into the Internet. Survey results have shown that the top three features most valued features of Advanced TV are the following: low-cost compared to cable and satellite subscription, none or fewer commercial breaks and control options, for example pause, rewind and fast forward. Data also revealed that there is no correlation between the household income and price sensitivity when it comes to TV service pricing. Two major consumer habits have been tested for this study binge watching and time shifting. Binge watching has been valued highly and reported as one of the Top 5 reasons to watch TV on online sources. Survey takers didn't rate watch anytime and anywhere features online sources, even though they stated they frequently watch their TV content on their laptops, smart phones and tablets. This demonstrates the undervaluation of the ability of watching TV content on the go and time shifting. As a summary, although linear television is currently relevant, increasing numbers of consumers are enjoying the exclusive benefits of online sources and some are even cutting the cord. The results of this study can pinpoint the features that give online sources competitive advantage over traditional television providers and inspire the cable and satellite providers to evolve to stay competitive in the changing environment of television.M.S., Television Management -- Drexel University, 201