Audience Inventory 2015: Pay TV results
Pay TV subscription remains steady in the face of Streaming.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under Subscription, Top Stories
The biggest threat to Foxtel in this year’s Audience Inventory has always been the introduction of Streaming services -but the news is good for the sector.
There were 1015 surveys completed this year with 43% of TV Tonight readers indicating they are Pay TV subscribers, the same as 2014.
Recent channel BBC First is now amongst the most popular, ahead of debuts by Box Sets and Foxtel Arts channels.
But viewers still want flexible Pay TV packages, fewer ads, Free to Air channel access and maintaining fast-tracking.
On the question of the much-reported IQ3 technical issues, only 6% of readers indicated they had upgraded from IQ2 / IQ, meaning it did not rate highly as an Important Issue.
In yesterday’s results there were also good responses for Foxtel’s EPG and Programming.
*denotes multiple answers allowed
#most-grouped answers
Which of the following do you watch regularly*?
Free to Air Commercial TV 80%
Free to Air Public Broadcaster 63%
Pay TV 43%
Streaming (subscription) 41%
Community TV 4%
Do you subscribe to Pay TV?
No 49%
Foxtel metro subscriber (cable) 18%
Foxtel metro subscriber (satellite) 12%
Foxtel Play 10%
Foxtel regional subscriber (satellite) 8%
Other 3%
Foxtel regional subscriber (cable) 0%
Up: Metro cable, Regional satellite, Foxtel Play
Down: No, Metro satellite.
Which Pay TV channels do you watch regularly*?
Don’t have Pay TV 50%
FOX8 25%
Showcase 23%
FOX Sports 22%
LifeStyle 19%
BBC First 18%
SoHo 18%
UKTV 15%
FX 14%
FOX Footy 14%
Comedy 14%
Universal 13%
Arena 13%
Nat Geo 12%
SKY News 12%
Premiere 11%
Discovery 11%
TV Hits 10%
111 10%
Syfy 8%
Boxsets 8%
LifeStyle You 8%
History 8%
A&E 8%
ESPN 7%
E! 7%
Channel [V] 7%
Other 7%
MAX 7%
Crime & Investigation 6%
Masterpiece 6%
MTV 5%
13th Street 5%
BBC World News 5%
Comedy (Movies) 4%
Bio 4%
Foxtel Arts 4%
World Movies 3%
Disney 3%
CNN 3%
Family Movies 3%
Nickelodeon 3%
Disney (Movies) 2%
Cartoon 1%
Up: Showcase, FOX Sports, BBC First, FX, Universal
Down: Premiere, Other
Which Pay TV Package do you subscribe to*?
Don’t have Pay TV 52%
Foxtel: Entertainment 31%
Foxtel: Drama 26%
Foxtel: Sports 25%
Foxtel: Entertainment Plus 24%
Foxtel: HD 20%
Foxtel: Docos 19%
Foxtel: Movies 16%
Foxtel: Kids 13%
Other Pay TV provider 3%
(Packages have been renamed this year but all seem to be higher or stable with the exception of Movies).
How likely are you to become a new Foxtel subscriber in the next 12 months?
Not likely to subscribe 50%
Already a subscriber 40%
Unsure 3%
Likely to unsubscribe from Foxtel 3%
Likely to become a full subscriber with cheaper / more flexible packages 2%
Likely to become a Foxtel Play subscriber with cheaper / more flexible packages 1%
Likely to become a full subscriber 1%
Likely to become a Foxtel Play (internet) subscriber 0%
Good news, there is no discernible change in intention to subscribe, despite the introduction of Streaming services.
Rate any or all of the following Pay TV issues#?
VERY IMPORTANT:
More flexible packaging options
Adding all FTA digital channels for all customers
Fast-tracking / Express from the US
Less ads
Aligning all FTA channels on EPG Menu
More competition in providers
More HD channels
Improving customer service
Keeping shows on the channel they launch on
Adding new channels
More Aussie content
IMPORTANT:
Technical innovations
Picking up shows dumped by FTA broadcasters
SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT:
(None)
NOT IMPORTANT:
Shutting down illegal piracy websites
NO OPINION:
More channels available thru Foxtel Play
IQ3 to fix technical problems
Foxtel Go available on all devices
Newly-voted as Very Important issues are: More HD channels, Improving customer service, Keeping shows on the channel they launch on, Adding new channels, More Aussie content.
These have now been voted Important issues: Technical innovations, Picking up shows dumped by FTA broadcasters.
Answers has been rounded.
Free to Air results
Tomorrow: Streaming results
3 Responses
What is the point of live streaming, when internet speeds are so slow and getting worse especially after school, in evenings and on weekend?
Really struggling to find anything worth watching on fetch. This week I have only one show to definitely watch on all the available channels on fetch. I’ve tried the top shows button in the menu but most of its free to air shows. Fetch doesn’t do enough to promote shows on their paid channels. Any suggestions for shows on fetch worth watching in particular newer 1st run dramas?
Shame not enough was said about IQ3 in the results. Foxtel really needs to cut down the commercials, so often I actually forget what I am watching because the break is so long, so I do whatever I can to only watch time slip. I also noticed channels associated the Discovery Networks have unnecessarily added to their watermark to include the channel number, we do not need more watermarks people. The quality of many Foxtel channels has declined since I disconnected in 2011 and rejoined this year. I remember Arena being a great channel, now it is absolute trash reality. 111 basically has 5 different show titles, it needs more content and less double episodes. I haven’t even bothered with Comedy Channel since I re-signed, there is nothing on it.