4oD views on TV platforms dwarf broadband use

摘要

More than 80 per cent of video content from Channel 4's on-demand service 4oD have been viewed via a television rather than through the broadcasters broadband site in the year since its launch. 4oD launched in October 2006 on the cable network of Virgin Media before launching as a standalone broadband service in early December. It is also available on BT Vision and Tiscali TV. Around 14.9 million homes in the UK have a broadband internet connection, compared to Virgin Media's 3.42 million television customers at the end of October. BT Vision and Tiscali have together less than 100,000 subscribers. However, since the launch of 4oD around 60 million pieces of content have been viewed, of which 50 million have been through the television and 10 million online. The online service is proving considerably more popular among younger viewers. Use in October was dominated by the 16-to-34 year old age group (72 per cent of all views), with over 35-year-olds accounting for just 25 per cent (see fig. 1). Males accounted for 55 per cent of viewing. Yet the 4oD television service was more popular with females (54 per cent), with the gap between age groups less defined: 35-to-44 year olds accounted for 33 per cent of views, compared to 47 per cent by 16-to-34 year olds.