TV Universe UK, Germany, Sweden - nscreenmedia.com

TV Universe—UK, Germany, Sweden: How People Watch Television Today | Page 1

I N T R O D U C T I O N

Technology has become such a part of our daily lives that sometimes it seems that it is an end unto itself. However,

in the world of the consumer, it has a particular role to play. Tim O’Reilly, who coined the term “open source,” put

it this way:

“What technology does is create new opportunities to do a job that customers want done.”1

Home entertainment is most certainly a job that people “want done.” Ninety years ago, broadcast television

technology was the new opportunity to deliver it in an entirely new way.2 Based on the data from our most recent

survey in Europe, the internet has become the next new opportunity to provide television entertainment to the home.

Today, there are three primary sources of TV entertainment available to consumers: free-to-air (FTA), pay TV, and

online TV. Free-to-air TV channels are typically received via an antenna but can also arrive over satellite and cable.

Examples include BBC1, SVT1, and Das Erste. Pay TV services distribute linear TV over cable, satellite, and telco

TV systems. Examples include Virgin Media, Sky Deutschland, and Com Hem. Online TV allows viewers to stream

or download shows and movies over mobile and broadband data networks. Examples of services include Netflix,

Now TV, and Amazon Prime Video.

Just twelve years after Netflix first introduced streaming services, online TV has become the second most popular

TV source in the UK, Germany, and Sweden. However, we are far from traditional television being swept away. The

reality is that pay TV in Sweden and the UK, and FTA in Germany still deliver most home TV entertainment. That

said, whereas twelve years ago most homes used a single source for TV, today nearly half of viewers in all three

countries are multi-source television households.

The survey data you will find in this report delves into the TV universe of viewers in the UK, Germany, and

Sweden. It reveals that television viewing has become a complicated business for consumers. They are juggling

multiple services from two or more sources across several devices.

This report details consumer usage data for FTA, pay TV, and online TV viewers, and the sizes of groups watching

combinations of these sources. It will answer your questions about how many people are watching, the services and

devices they are using, how much they are paying, and their attitudes to the experience they are having. It will also

discuss how people are finding something to watch across all their services.

TV Universe—UK, Germany, Sweden: HOW PEOPLE WATCH TELEVISION TODAY

Author: Colin Dixon, Founder and Chief Analyst, nScreenMedia | 2019

Online TV is now the second

most popular source of

television content in the UK,

Germany, and Sweden.

This report is sponsored by:

www.gracenote.com

http://www.gracenote.com/


K E Y F I N D I N G S

The Rise of Multi-TV Service Viewing

It has been seven years since Netflix launched in the UK and Sweden, and nine years since LoveFilm (now Amazon

Prime Video) started streaming services in the German market. Since that time, our survey of the UK, German, and

Swedish viewers shows there has been broad adoption of the services:

• More than half of UK and Swedish TV viewers watch paid streaming services.

• 39% of German TV viewers watch streaming services.

Before streaming arrived, most people relied on either FTA or pay TV for TV entertainment in Europe. Today, 46%

of UK, 52% of Swedish, and 42% of German viewers use more than one TV source.

There is also a smaller group of viewers in each of the three countries studied that use all three of the primary TV

sources. 17% of UK, 14% of Swedish, and 11% of German viewers use pay TV, FTA, and online TV to watch.

Online Second Most Popular Source of TV

Pay TV remains the most popular TV source in Sweden and the UK, with close to two-thirds using it. FTA is the

most popular in Germany with 4 in 5 using it. However, online TV is now the second most popular source of TV in

all three countries.

Finding Something to Watch

Finding something to watch among all the TV sources and services can be challenging. The on-screen guide remains

the tool most TV viewers prefer to use to help them with the task:

• Regardless of TV source used, the on-screen guide is the most popular option in the UK and Sweden.

• Germany pay TV and FTA users prefer channel flipping and the paper guide, though the on-screen guide is

still important.

• It is the most popular option for German online viewers.

Graphics in TV show and movie guide listings are a critical influencer in helping people decide what to watch. In all

three countries:

• 3 in 5 or more think guide graphics are an important influence on their viewing choice.

• Around 4 in 5 or more 18- to 24-year-olds said the same.

A similar number think show and movie descriptions are important in their selection of what to watch. Once again,

descriptions wielded a more substantial influence among 18–24s.

52%39%

54%65%

35%

65%

47%

79%

47%

UK Germany Sweden

Users of pay TV, free-to-air, online TV—UK, Germany, and Sweden

Online TV Pay TV Free-to-air

©n

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70%

57% 59%

90%

78%86%

UK Germany Sweden

Guide users that consider graphics an important influence in deciding what to

watch—average versus 18-24s

Average 18-24s

When you are browsing a TV or video app guide, how important is the graphical image representing a TV show or movie in helping you decide what to watch? (n1=500,80,n2=500,96,n3=500,84)

©n

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Which Viewing Groups Watch the Most

More UK viewers are big TV consumers compared to the other two countries. 38% of UK viewers spend three or

more hours a day watching TV. 23% of Germans and 26% of Swedes are big TV consumers. Looking at other

viewing groups, we observe the following viewing trends:

• Pay TV viewers—either alone or in combination with another source—tend to watch more than average.

• Only 11% of German online viewers are big TV consumers.

• Only 13% of Swedish FTA viewers are big TV consumers.

Online Viewer Device Preferences

In all countries, the TV set is the preferred device through which to watch. 70% of total viewing time is through the

TV screen in the UK and Germany, and 60% in Sweden.

The most common way of watching online TV is through a smart TV, and Samsung is the most popular brand in all

three countries. The streaming media player is the second most used device, with Amazon Fire TV the most popular

brand in the UK and Germany and Chromecast in Sweden.

Pay TV Highlights

Pay TV users are mostly satisfied with their service, although 1 in 5 say they plan to leave their current operator. UK

pay TV subscribers spend €49 (£42) per month, much more than Germans and Swedes. Many fewer use these apps

in Europe:

• Half or more have never used their operator’s TV Everywhere app.

• A third or less use the apps at least monthly.

• 1 in 10 use the apps at least once per week.

Online TV Highlights

The average Swedish online video subscriber has 1.7 services, British subscribers have 1.6, and Germans have 1.5.

UK online viewers spend marginally more each month on services:

• UK online viewers spend €18.95 (£16.20) per month.

• Swedes spend €16.93.

• Germans spend the least, €14.60.

Netflix is the top app in the UK and Sweden, and Amazon Prime Video is top in Germany. Online viewers in the

UK and Sweden are more satisfied with the service they have had the longest than pay TV users are with their pay

TV service. Germans are equally satisfied with their pay TV and online TV services.

60% or more think show and

movie graphics in the

on-screen guide are an

important influence on their

viewing choice.


Free-to-air Highlights

Most FTA viewers use broadcaster TV apps on their connected devices.

• 77% of UK FTA viewers use the apps, with BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub the top two apps.

• 59% of Germans use the apps, with ZDF and ARD the top apps.

• 56% of Swedes use the apps, with SVT Play and TV4 Play the top two apps.

Red button services remain important in Germany and the UK with almost half of FTA viewers using them.

Buying and Renting Movies

Buying movies—discs and digital copies—is more popular than renting:

• 46% in the UK, and 35% in both Germany and Sweden buy movies.

• 33% in the UK, 28% in Germany, and 27% in Sweden rent movies.

18- to 24-year-olds are much more likely to rent or buy a video than average. For example, in the UK 46% say they

rent videos, versus a third on average. In Germany, half say they buy videos versus 35% on average.

46%

35% 35%33%

28% 27%

UK Germany Sweden

Number of people who buy and rent videos in the UK, Germany, Sweden

Buy Rent

©nScreenMedia, 2019


U K V I E W E R S

The UK TV Universe

We asked UK television viewers which sources of

television they use. Figure 1 shows how the viewing

population divides up into TV source viewing groups.

It was no surprise that 66% of UK adults use pay TV.

However, it was a surprise to find that more people now

watch online TV services (52%) than use FTA broadcast

services (47%). Just over half of UK viewers, 54%, rely on

a single source for their TV entertainment. Of those, 26%

only watch pay TV, 18% only use FTA, and 10% rely

solely on online TV. Interestingly, 17% of UK viewers say

they use all three sources.

When asked which source they went to first when they

wanted to watch TV, 61% of viewers selected pay TV, 20%

online TV, and 19% FTA.

Which Group Watches the Most?

On average, 38% of UK respondents say they watch 3 or more hours of television from all sources per day. With

one notable exception, each viewing group watched roughly the same amount of TV each day. When asked how

much time they spent watching TV through all their screens, people using pay TV and FTA watched the most.

• 43% of pay TV/FTA viewers watched 3 or more hours per day.

• The pay TV-only group was the second biggest TV consumers with 41%.

• The 17% using all three services were the third biggest TV consumers with 40%.

The group watching exclusively online TV were by far the lightest viewers. Just 24% said they watched three or

more hours per day.

38%

38%

41%

24%

43%

37%

39%

40%

Average

FTA only

Pay TV only

Online only

FTA/Pay TV

FTA/Online

Pay TV/Online

FTA/Pay TV/Online

UK adults watching 3 or more hours per day of video

How much time do you spend watching TV from all sources (live TV, live sports, DVR and VOD shows, online streaming TV shows) and on all screens (TV, PC, smartphone, tablet) each week? (n=500)


19%

61%

20%

Free-to-air

Pay TV

Online TV

Primary TV source—UK

Which television source do you usually go to first (which is your primary TV service)? (n=235)


Figure 1. The size of TV viewing groups in the UK


Preferred Screen for Watching TV

Survey respondents were asked to divide up their viewing time between the four main screens in their lives: TV,

PC, smartphone, and tablet. Nobody will be surprised to hear that the average viewer uses the TV screen for three-

quarters of their viewing. However, a quarter of viewing takes place on other screens. Of the connected screens, the

PC/laptop is most preferred, and the tablet the least. The fact that the laptop and tablet have roughly the same

penetration (63% versus 58%) suggests that the bigger screen of the laptop still wins out when it comes to

watching TV.3

One viewing group stood out as embracing other screens more than other groups. Those watching online TV only

used the TV screen about half of the time. The PC/laptop was preferred about a third of the time. Most of the

remaining viewing time was spent on the smartphone.

Number of TV Channels Watched

Almost all UK TV viewers still watch at least some linear television channels. We asked our survey group how

many channels they watched every month. On average, they watched between nine and ten channels. However,

some viewing groups watched many more. For example, the group using all TV sources watched between 11 and 13

channels. Perhaps understandably, the online TV group watched the fewest channels—between 5 and 6 per week.

Number of Online Video Services Watched

Online TV, both from free and paid sources, has become a part of 52% of UK viewers’ lives. The average viewer

uses 2.4 services. The group viewing all three TV sources utilizes the most online services—an average of 2.8.

TV, 74%

PC/Laptop, 12%

Smartphone, 9%

Tablet, 6%

Screens used to watch video—UK adults

About what percentage of your total viewing time do you spend watching TV through each screen (n=500)


2.4

2.3

2.6

2.4

2.8

Average

Online only

FTA/Online

Pay TV/OnlineVideo

Free-to-air/PayTV/Online

Average number of online video services used—UK

How many Internet video services do you use each month(Netflix, ViaPlay etc.)? (n=500)


3%5%

12%

19%17% 18%

12%

6%

2% 2%4%

None 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11-13 14-17 18-21 22-30 31+

Number of TV channels watched by UK adults (average)

How many different TV channels do you watch each month? (n=500)



U K D E V I C E S

Smart TV

• 53% use it monthly.

• 33% use it daily.

Game Console



Streaming Media Player



Blu-ray/DVD Player



Samsung, 31%

LG, 15%Sony, 12%Hisense, 3%

TCL, 1%

Philips, 3%

Skyworth, 1%

Panasonic, 8%

Toshiba, 4%

Other, 5%

Brand of smart TV used by viewers—UK

Which brand of connected devices do you use to stream online video through your television? (n=411)


Xbox, 34%

PlayStation, 55%

Nintendo, 11%

Brand of game console used to stream by viewers—UK



Apple TV, 18%

Amazon Fire TV, 39%

Chromecast, 17%

Now TV, 20%

Other, 6%

Brand of streaming media player used by viewers—UK



Samsung, 29%

LG, 17%Sony, 22%

Hisense, 4%

TCL, 2%

Philips, 8%

Skyworth, 3%

Panasonic, 9%

Toshiba, 3% Other, 2%

Brand of Blu-ray/DVD player used to stream by viewers—UK




G E R M A N V I E W E R S

The German TV Universe

The division between TV source viewing groups is

different in Germany than in the UK and Sweden.

Figure 2 shows that FTA usage dominates the television

market, with 79% saying they watch it at least some of

the time. Once again, it was a surprise to find how

quickly online TV has been adopted. More people now

watch online TV services (39%) than use pay TV

services (36%). Just over half of German viewers (55%)

rely on a single source for their TV entertainment. Of

those, 39% only watch FTA, 6% only use online TV,

and 10% rely solely on pay TV. 11% of German viewers

say they use all three sources.

When asked which source they went to first when they

wanted to watch TV, half of the viewers selected FTA,

and a quarter each selected online or pay TV.


On average, 23% of German viewers watch TV for 3 hours or more per day. The group with the largest number

watching 3 hours or more—36%—are those combining pay TV and FTA. The second most prolific viewing

group—28%—are those combining all three services. Two groups stood out as watching far less than others: Just

11% of people watching online TV only say they watch 3 or more hours per day, and 1 in 5 pay TV only viewers

said the same.

23%

20%

11%

36%

23%

25%

28%

FTA only

Pay TV only

Online only

FTA/Pay TV

FTA/Online

Pay TV/Online

FTA/Pay TV/Online

German adults watching 3 or more hours per day of video


How much time do you spend watching TV from all sources and on all screens each week? (n=500)

53%

24%

24%

Free-to-air

Pay TV

Online TV

TV source Germans consider primary


Which television source do you usually go to first(which is your primary TV service)? (n=500)

Figure 2. The size of TV viewing groups in Germany




PC, smartphone, and tablet. The TV screen is used by the average viewer for 67% of their viewing, only

marginally less than in the UK. However, a third of viewing takes place on other screens. Of the connected

screens, the PC/laptop is by far the most preferred, delivering 18% of viewing. The smartphone is the next most

used, with the tablet used the least.

Those watching online video only use the TV screen about a third of the time. The PC/laptop is preferred about

half of the time. Most of the remaining viewing time is spent on the smartphone.


Almost all German TV viewers still watch at least some linear television channels. We asked our survey group

how many channels they watched every month. On average, they watched 8 channels. All viewing groups

watching TV from multiple sources tend to watch more channels than those using a single source. For example,

the group using all TV sources watched the most, averaging 9.7 channels per month. Other multiple sources

viewers watch between 9 and 9.5 channels. Once again, the online TV group watches the fewest channels—

between 5 and 6 per week.


Online TV, both from free and paid sources, has become a part of 57% of German viewers’ lives. 43% of German

viewers say they watch no TV shows or movies over the Internet. The average viewer watches 1.9 services.

TV; 67%

PC/Laptop; 18%

Smartphone; 10%Tablet; 5%

Screens used to watch video by German adults



1.9

2.1

1.9

2.1

2.1

Average

Online only

FTA/Online

Pay TV/Online

Free-to-air/Pay TV/Online

Average number of online video services used by Germans


How many different online video services do you watcheach month? (n=500)

2%6%

18%

26%

14% 15%

7%5%

2% 3% 1%

None 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11-13 14-17 18-21 22-30 31+

Number of TV channels watched by German adults (average)




G E R M A N D E V I C E S

Smart TV



Game Console






Blu-ray/DVD Player



Samsung; 44%

LG; 12%

Sony; 18%

Hisense; 1%

Philips; 8%

Panasonic; 8%Toshiba; 4%

Other; 5%

Brand of smart TV used by German viewers



Xbox; 21%

PlayStation; 62%

Nintendo; 17%

Brand of game console used to stream by German viewers



Apple TV; 17%

Amazon Fire TV; 61%

Chromecast; 14%

Other; 8%

Brand of streaming media player used by German viewers



Samsung; 38%

LG; 13%Sony; 17%

Philips; 15%

Panasonic; 8%

Toshiba; 5% Other; 4%

Brand of disc player used by German viewers




S W E D I S H V I E W E R S

The Swedish TV Universe

Figure 3 shows that the numbers of people saying

they use pay TV (65%), FTA (47%), and online TV

(54%,) are almost the same as in the UK. Once again,

worthy of note is the fact that more people say they

watch online TV than FTA. Just under half of the

Swedish viewers, 48%, rely on a single source for

their TV entertainment. Of those, 25% only watch

pay TV, 14% only use FTA, and 9% rely solely on

online TV. 14% of Swedish viewers say they use all

three sources.

When asked which source they went to first when

they wanted to watch TV, 45% of viewers selected

pay TV, 31% online TV, and 24% FTA.


A quarter of Swedes watch television for 3 hours or more per day. Three viewing groups watch the most

television. Roughly one-third of those watching TV from all sources, pay TV/FTA, and pay TV only viewers say

they watch 3 or more hours per day. Those only watching FTA watch by far the least, with 13% saying they

watch 3 hours a week or more. Online only viewers also watched significantly less, with a quarter watching 3 or

more hours per day.

26%

13%

33%

24%

32%

30%

27%

33%

Average

FTA only

Pay TV only

Online only

FTA/Pay TV

FTA/Online

Pay TV/Online

FTA/Pay TV/Online

Swedish adults watching 3 or more hours per day of video

How much time do you spend watching TV from all sources and on all screens each week? (n=500)


24%

45%

31%

Free-to-air

Pay TV

Online TV

Primary TV source—Sweden

Which television source do you usually go to first(which is your primary TV service)? (n=500)


Figure 3. The size of TV viewing groups in Sweden




PC, smartphone, and tablet. The average viewer uses the TV screen for 62% of their viewing, the lowest of the

three countries studied. Nearly two-fifths of viewing takes place on other screens. Once again, the PC/laptop is

most preferred, with the device delivering one-fifth of viewing. The smartphone delivered about 1 in 10 of

viewing. Though the average Swede has 1.16 tablets, it is not used very much for TV viewing.4

In Sweden, the PC/laptop is preferred by those watching online TV only over all other screens. The tablet is

preferred only slightly more for viewing than the smartphone by this group.


Almost all Swedish viewers still watch at least some linear television channels. We asked our survey group how

many channels they watched every month. On average, they watched between 7 and 8 channels, many fewer than

in Germany and the UK. The group combining pay TV with FTA watched between 8 and 9 channels per month,

considerably more than any other Swedish group.


Online TV, both from free and paid sources, has become a part of 54% of Swedish viewers’ lives. 46% of

Swedish TV viewers say they watch no TV shows or movies over the Internet whatsoever. The average viewer

watches 2.4 services. The viewing group watching the most online services was the group using all three TV

sources, with an average of 2.9 services. We will see later the number of paid online TV services.

TV, 62%

PC/Laptop, 21%

Smartphone, 12%

Tablet, 5%

Screens used to watch video by Swedish adults



2.4

2.3

2.6

2.6

2.9

Average

Online only

FTA/Online

Pay TV/Online

FTA/Pay TV/Online

Average number of online video services used—Sweden

How many different TV channels do you watch each month?(n=500)


4%8%

22% 22%

14%17%

6%3%

1% 1% 1%

None 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11-13 14-17 18-21 22-30 31+

Number of TV channels watched by SWE adults (average)




S W E D I S H D E V I C E S

Smart TV



Game Console






Blu-ray/DVD Player



Samsung, 35%

LG, 14%

Sony, 8%

Hisense, 1%

TCL, 1%

Philips, 8%

Panasonic, 4%


Brand of smart TV used by viewers—SWE



Xbox, 34%

PlayStation, 53%

Nintendo, 13%

Brand of game console used to stream by viewers—SWE



Apple TV, 34%

Chromecast, 60%

Other, 5%

Brand of streaming media player used by viewers - SWE



Samsung, 34%

LG, 18%Sony, 17%

Hisense, 1%

TCL, 2%

Philips, 12%

Skyworth, 1%

Panasonic, 9%


Brand of Disc Player used to stream by viewers—SWE




F I N D I N G S O M E T H I N G T O W A T C H

Pay TV and Free-to-air Viewer Discovery

Pay TV and FTA viewers share many common traits in the way they find something to watch. In the UK and

Sweden, on-screen guides are the most prevalent tools people use. However, in Germany people prefer the

serendipitous channel-flipping approach. Channel flipping is the second most popular approach in the UK

and Sweden.

Paper guides remain a common way of planning TV watching in Germany, where 2 in 5 people still use them.

A third of Swedes also like to use paper guides.

Fewer than 1 in 10 pay TV and FTA viewers say they use social media. However, since both viewing groups skew

older, this is perhaps unsurprising. Word of mouth also does not feature strongly. Between 11% and 13% of FTA

and pay TV viewers cite it as a significant source. Could this mean that the watercooler conversation is dead?

Recommendations also do not feature strongly. However, as we shall see, many people do not know they have

access to the feature.

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

On-screen TV guide

Text search

Pay TV…

Flip through channels

Paper guide

Word-of-mouth

Social media

How pay TV users find something to watch

Sweden

Germany

UK

Which of the following ways of finding something to watch do you use the most? (n1=327, n2=198, n3=325)


(Ranked 1 or 2)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

On-screen guide

Title search

Guide…

Flip channels

Paper guide

Word-of-mouth

Social media

How free-to-air viewers find something to watch

Sweden

Germany

UK

(Ranked 1 or 2)

Which of the following ways of finding something to watch do you use the most? (n=233, 400, 234)



Online TV Viewer Discovery

For online TV viewers, video service guides are the critical resources for deciding what to watch in all three

countries studied. Whereas pay TV and FTA viewers can fall back on paper guides or flip channels, online

viewers do not have equivalent functionality. When asked which sources online TV viewers mostly use to find

something to watch, the video service guide was selected first or second in importance by 2 in 5 online TV

viewers. Moreover, twice as many people consider video service guides important as they do service

recommendations and device guides.

Once again, friend recommendations through social media and word of mouth wield surprisingly little influence

with less than 10% of online TV viewers ranking it 1 or 2.

The low impact of device text and voice search services in the discovery process is shocking. Providers such as

Apple, Amazon, and Google are investing in these technologies heavily. However, very few consult them before

heading to other more traditional means. It is not clear if the lack of use is because consumers aren’t aware cross-

service search is available or they have tried it and didn’t like it. However, digging deeper shows the technology

has challenges ahead. Barely 10% of online TV viewers say they use the features on a weekly or daily basis.

The number of online TV services continues to expand rapidly in Europe. Device cross-service search is one of

the few tools available to consumers to help with the ballooning complexity. Figuring out how to get more

consumers to use cross-service search should be a top priority for device makers.

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

Browse service guide

Text search in service app

Service recommendations

Browse device guide

Device text/voice search

Device recommendations

Friend recommendations

Other

How online video viewers decide what to watch

Sweden

Germany

UK

How do you mostly decide what to watch when using Online video services (e.g. Netflix)? (n=258, 198, 268)


(Ranked 1 or 2)

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Doesn't support

Rarely/never

Monthly

Weekly

Daily

Usage frequency of device cross-service search features

Sweden

Germany

UK©nScreenMedia, 2019

How often do you use the cross-service search (voice or text) feature of your streaming device to find a movie or TV show to watch? (n=258, 198, 268)


The Importance of Guides

Given the importance of guides in all aspects of the discovery process, ensuring it does a good job is critical. We

asked our survey participants about two aspects of the guide to gauge its impact on what people watch.

Using show and movie artwork in the guide is very influential in helping a viewer decide what to watch. 59% of

Swedes, 57% of Germans, and 70% of British viewers say these graphical teasers are an important or very

important factor in whether they watch a movie or not.

Even more important are the descriptions of the shows and movies. 70% of UK viewers say the descriptions were

at least somewhat important. 65% of Swedes and 57% of Germans think the same.

The video service guide is essential in helping users find something to watch. However, the 18- to 24-year-olds

are swayed much more by the movie and show images and descriptions they find there than the average viewer.

For example, in the UK, 90% say images are important in helping them decide what to watch, versus 70% on

average. Similarly, 78% of young Germans say guide descriptions are influential, versus 57% on average.

Time Enough to Watch Everything?

With so much content at our disposal, do we feel there is enough time to watch it all? For most people, the answer

is yes. Most people in Sweden, Germany, and the UK say they do have enough time, although more people in

Sweden (81%) say this than in the UK and Germany (70%).

Oddly, the groups in all three countries with access to the most content—those using all three sources of video

FTA/pay TV/online TV—also had among the highest percentages of members saying they had enough time to

watch their favorite shows.

12%22%

12%

18%

21%

23%

52%

44%48%

18% 13% 17%

UK Germany Sweden

Influence of guide TV show descriptions in deciding what to watch

Veryinfluential

Somewhatinfluential

Not thatinfluential

When you are browsing a TV or video app guide, how important is the graphical image representing a TV show or movie in helping you decide what to watch? (n=500,500,500)


70%

70%

81%

30%

30%

19%

UK

Germany

Sweden

Percentage of viewers that feel they have enough time to watch their

favorite shows

Yes No

Do you feel you have enough time each week to watch all your favorite shows? (n=500, 500, 500)

©nScreenMedia, 201970%

57% 59%

90%78%

86%

UK Germany Sweden

Guide users that consider graphics an important influence in deciding what to

watch—average versus 18-24sAverage 18-24s

When you are browsing a TV or video app guide, how important is the graphical image representing a TV show or movie in helping you decide what to watch? (n1=500,80,n2=50096,n3=500,84)

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70%

57%65%

87%77%

68%

UK Germany Sweden

Guide users that consider descriptions an important factor in deciding what to watch—

average versus 18-24sAverage 18-24s

When you are browsing a TV or video app guide, how important is the graphical image representing a TV show or movie in helping you decide what to watch? (n1=500,80,n2=500,96,n3=500,84)

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P A Y T V V I E W E R S

The Monthly Bill for Pay TV Services

The average UK pay TV subscriber pays significantly more than those in Sweden and Germany. UK pay TV

subscribers spend €49.02 (£41.90) a month while Swedish customers spend €23.66 (249.10 kr) and Germans spend

€32.20.

In the UK and Germany, the viewing group spending the most on pay TV are the FTA/pay TV/online TV viewers.

In Sweden, the highest spending viewing group is the pay TV/online TV viewers. Low spenders in the UK and

Sweden were the FTA/pay TV group though in Germany those using solely pay TV spent the least.

Satisfaction with Service

People are, overall, satisfied with the value for money provided by their pay TV service. Satisfaction was the highest

in Germany (73%). Interestingly, the low-paying Swedes also had the lowest satisfaction with the service (55%).

Dissatisfied pay TV customers are relatively rare, with only 1 in 10 saying they didn’t consider their pay TV

subscription provided good value for money.

49.02 €

32.20 €

23.66 €

UK average Germany average Sweden average

Average monthly amount spent on pay TV services


How much is your monthly pay TV bill (including premium and sports channel extras)? (n1=327, n2=182, n3=325)

67%

73%

55%

21%

17%

32%

11%

10%

13%

UK

Germany

Sweden

Satisfaction with pay TV among users—UK, Germany, Sweden

Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied


How satisfied are you with the value for money provided by your pay TV service? (n1=327, n2=182, n3=325)


Use of Pay TV Portal Apps

Very few pay TV customers have integrated their pay TV operator TV Everywhere apps into their weekly viewing

lives. 13% of pay TV customers in the UK and Sweden say they use their operator’s pay TV app, while 14% of

Germans say the same. Half of viewers in each covered country say they have never used the apps.

Operator TV app usage is much higher among any viewing group that includes online TV. It is also interesting to

note that those survey participants who say pay TV is their sole source for television also say they do not use pay

TV apps in significant numbers. For example, three-quarters of the pay TV only group said they had never used

a pay TV app.

Interest in Quitting Pay TV

The number of pay TV customers who say they are dissatisfied with their service is very low. However, the number

that says they are planning to leave is much higher. For example, in Germany, only 10% say they are dissatisfied,

but 25% say they are planning to leave in the next six months. A similar number say they are going to leave in the

UK and Sweden.

Those that watch less than three hours of television a day could be partially responsible for the seeming

contradiction between satisfaction and plans to leave pay TV. In the UK, lighter viewers represent 38% of survey

participants. Though satisfaction with pay TV is about the same as average for this group, interest in leaving is much

higher (30% versus 20% on average). It could be that lighter viewers see value in pay TV (and value is what we

asked them to evaluate) but feel they don’t watch enough to justify keeping the service.

It should also be remembered that intentions are not actions. Though 20% or more say they plan to leave, far fewer

are likely to follow through.

Most of the people planning to leave their current pay TV operator say they are going to quit pay TV altogether.

About a third in each country say they plan to use FTA television instead. Another third say they will use online TV

alone or in combination with FTA.

50% 51% 52%

38% 35% 36%

13% 14% 13%

UK Germany Sweden

Frequency of usage of pay TV apps by all pay TV users—UK, Germany, Sweden

Weeklyor more

Less thanweekly

Never

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Pay TV operator apps let you watch your pay TV channels and on-demand shows on your smartphone, tablet, and PC. How much do you use them to watch on your devices? (n1=327, n2=182, n3=325)

22% 25% 20%

31% 17% 26%

47%58% 54%

UK Germany Sweden

Pay TV users planning to leave or stay with pay TV—UK, Germany, Sweden

Plan tostay

Notsure

Plan toleave

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Are you planning to leave your current pay TV operator in the next 6 months? (n1=327, n2=182, n3=325)


O N L I N E T V V I E W E R S

Number of Paid Services

The average number of subscribed online TV services is almost identical in all three countries studied. The average

Swedish online video subscriber pays for 1.7 services, British subscribers have 1.6, and Germans have 1.5.

Most Popular Online TV Services

Netflix is the top service in the UK and Sweden. Netflix launched in early 2012 in the UK and late 2012 in

Sweden. The slight head start seems to have allowed significantly deeper penetration in the UK than Sweden.

Amazon Prime Video is second to Netflix in the UK but slightly ahead in Germany. Netflix and Amazon dominate

the markets in which they are available. Other notable services in the UK include Now TV (20%), ITV Hub+

(8%), and Disney Life (6%). Sky Ticket (12%) and sports service DAZN (6%) earn the third and fourth spots in

Germany. Swedes enjoy Viaplay (31%), C more (22%,) and HBO Nordic (20%).

Longest Tenured Service

We asked online video viewers about the online service they have been subscribed to the longest (the longest

tenured service). Netflix has been available in the UK and Sweden for 6+ years, and Amazon Prime Video has

been available in the UK and Germany for five years. So, it should come as no surprise that 34% of Swedes, 30%

of Britons, and 24% of Germans have had their longest-tenured service for more than two years. It is also

interesting to note that many people are still only just entering the online TV market. The longest-tenured service

for 3 in 10 UK and German and a quarter of Swedish online TV viewers is three months or less.

57% 60% 61%

29%32%

19%

12%8%

14%

3% 1% 6%

UK Germany Sweden

Number of services subscribed to by online video service users

Four ormore

Three

Two

One

How many pay online video services are you currently subscribed to? (n=258, 198, 268)

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29% 30% 25%

21%28%

20%

19%18%

21%

30% 24%34%

UK Germany Sweden

Length of tenure with longest subscribed service

2 yr ormore

1-2 yrs

4-11months

<=3months

Thinking about the paid online video service you have been using the longest, how long have you been subscribed to this service?(n=258, 198, 268)

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73%

43%

20%

8%

6%

3%

3%

3%

3%

9%

Netflix

Amazon…

Now TV

ITV Hub+

Disney Life

HayU

My5

BFI Player

Curzon…

Other

Pay online TV—UK

Which pay online TV services do you currently subscribe to? (n=258)


56%

51%

12%

6%

2%

2%

8%

Amazon …

Netflix

Sky Ticket

DAZN

Eurospo…

Teleco…

Other

Pay online TV—Germany

Which pay online TV services do you currently subscribe to? (n=198)


63%

20%

31%

22%

4%

5%

5%

15%

Netflix

HBO…

Viaplay

C more

Eurosport

Dplay…

Other

None

Pay online TV - Sweden

Which pay online video services do you currently subscribe to? (n=268)



The Monthly Bill for Online TV Services

N E T F L I X T I E R

HD UHD

UK €9.35 €11.69

Germany €7.99 €16.99

Sweden €10.36 €13.21

Though Swedes average slightly more online TV services than the

other countries studied, it is the British that spend the most. They

spend €18.95 (£16.20) per month while the Swedes spend €2 less and

Germans €2 less again.

The average amount spent per service is €11.85 in the UK, €10.63 in

Germany, and €10.58 in Sweden. For reference, basic Netflix

membership in each country costs €9.35, €7.99, and €10.36,

respectively.

Satisfaction with Longest Tenured Service

Online TV viewers in the UK and Sweden are much more satisfied with their longest-tenured service than pay TV

users are with their operator. In the UK, 83% say they are satisfied or very satisfied with their online TV service. 68%

of Swedes say the same. However, in Germany satisfaction among pay TV and online TV viewers is the same. Few

people say they are dissatisfied with their longest-tenured service. Only 3% in the UK said they were dissatisfied or

very dissatisfied with their longest-tenured service. 9% of Germans and 8% of Swedes said the same.

18.95 €

14.60 €

16.93 €

UK Germany Sweden

Average monthly amount spent on online TV services


How much do you spend per month on all your pay online TV services?(n=258, 198, 268)

83%73%

68%67%73%

55%

UK Germany Sweden

Number of online TV and pay TV users satisfied with their respective services

Online TV Pay TV

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83%

73%

68%

14%

17%

24%

3%

9%

8%

UK

Germany

Sweden

Satisfaction with longest tenured online TV service—UK, Germany, Sweden

Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied


Thinking about your primary pay online TV service, how satisfied are you with the value for money it provides? (n=258, 182, 268)


F R E E - T O - A I R V I E W E R S

Usage of Broadcaster Apps

Most people who watch FTA television also use broadcaster apps to watch online. 77% of FTA users in the UK

say they use broadcaster apps. 59% in Germany and 56% in Sweden say the same. Online TV use is a good

predictor of whether an FTA viewer uses broadcaster apps. For example, in the UK more than 9 in 10 of those

that watch TV from FTA and online say they also use broadcaster apps.

Most Popular Broadcaster Apps

The top broadcaster apps track very closely to the most popular broadcast channels. In the UK, BBC iPlayer and

ITV Hub top the list of apps. However, UKTV Play and My5 also see significant usage. In Germany, ZDF

Mediathek and ARD Mediathek (local and national) top the lists of apps. In Sweden, SVT Play is by far the most

popular app, followed by TV4 Play. Significant usage also accrues to Viafree, C More and Dplay (free).

77%

59% 56%

UK Germany Sweden

Free-to-air viewers that use broadcaster apps

Do you use broadcaster apps or portals to watch TV on any of your devices? (n=233,400,234)


68%

46%41%

15%20%

1%

BBCiPlayer

ITV Hub All 4 UKTVPlay

My5 Other

Most popular broadcaster apps—UK

Do you use broadcaster apps or portals to watch TV on any of your devices? (n=233)

©nScreenMedia, 2019 41%37%

18%

10%

1%

ZDF ARD RTL TV Now

7TV Other

Most popular broadcaster apps—Germany



35%

47%

11%15% 16%

14%

2%

TV4Play

SVTPlay

Kanal 5Play

C MoreViafree Dplay(free)

Other

Most popular broadcaster apps—Sweden




Red Button Services

In the UK and Germany, FTA viewers can access bonus information through their TV by pressing the red button or

teletext button on their TV remote. Viewers can see more about what they are watching, see broadcaster TV guides,

access catch-up services, and get other general information like weather and traffic. The bonus information is

included in the broadcast signal.

“Red Button” services remain an important part of the viewing experience for almost half of FTA viewers in the UK

and Germany. They are not available in Sweden. The most popular use in the UK is to access TV catchup services,

with more than a quarter of FTA viewers taking advantage of the feature. 1 in 10 Germany viewers did the same.

About 1 in 5 British and German FTA viewers use “Red Button” services:

• To get more information about what the viewer is watching

• To browse a broadcaster guide to find something to watch

Of the people who use “Red Button” services, half do so at least weekly. 13% of UK and 18% of German users have

made the services a part of their daily television lives.

21%

26%

19%

8%

2%

25%

10%

23%

4%

1%

Program info

TV catch-upservices

Broadcasterguide

Ad info

Something else

How free-to-air viewers use “press-red” or teletext

Germany

UK

In the last month, have you pressed the red or teletext button on your TV remote to do any of the following (n=233, 400)


22%

29%

36%

13%

18%

29%

36%

18%

Once a month or less

1-3 times a month

Weekly

Daily

Frequency of pressing red

Germany

UK

How often do you press the red or teletext button on your TV remote? (n=109, 174)


I N T E R E S T I N P A Y T V A M O N G N O N - S U B S C R I B E R S

How Many People Have Quit Pay TV?

Given the dominance of a national broadcast infrastructure in all three countries studied, it is not surprising that most

people without pay TV have never had it. Three-quarters of German non-pay TV customers have never had the

service. 64% of UK and 61% of Swedish non-pay TV users say the same. However, there is good news in the data

for pay TV operators. Very few have canceled service in the last six months, suggesting there is not a massive tide

of people preparing to quit their pay TV service. It also reinforces the statement made earlier that though many say

they are interested in quitting pay TV, far fewer follow through with action.

Why People Quit Pay TV

In the UK, where people pay almost twice as much as Germans and Swedes for pay TV, 3 in 5 cord-cutters cited

cost as the primary reason they quit. The next two most popular reasons cited—watching online TV or FTA TV—

were selected by half as many people.

In Germany and Sweden, the average amount spent on pay TV is much lower than in the UK. The cost was still the

dominant reason cited for leaving pay TV. Watching online TV and FTA TV were the second and third most

popular reasons selected after cost.

Pay TV operators around the world are aware of the cost problem versus SVOD services. They are working to create

smaller, cheaper bundles of channels to be more competitive.

Likelihood of Signing up for Pay TV

Few people indicate they are interested in signing up for pay TV. 16% in the UK say they are somewhat likely to

sign up in the next three months. 13% of Germans and 8% of Swedes showed similar interest. However, intentions

are not actions. Only the most interested are likely to follow through and investigate signing up for pay TV. Only

a tiny number of Swedes and Germans, and 1 in 10 Britons say they are very likely to sign up for pay TV in the next

three months.

16% 13% 8%

14%13%

16%

70% 74% 76%

UK Germany Sweden

Likelihood of a non-pay TV user signing up for service

Unlikely

Neutral

Likely

How likely are you to sign-up for pay TV in the next 3 months? (n=173,318,175)

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76%

64%

25%

18%

23%

7%

4%

10%

7%

2%

3%

UK

Germany

Sweden

Non-pay TV viewers’ past status with the service

Never had it Canceled 2+ years ago Canceled 6-12 mons ago Canceled <6 mons ago


You mentioned you do not use pay TV. Have you ever had pay TV services? (n=173, 318,175)


B U Y I N G A N D R E N T I N G M O V I E S A N D S H O W S

Renting Movies and Shows Uncommon

Across the three countries studied, movies and TV show renting was uncommon. A third or slightly less say they

rent in the UK, Germany, and Sweden. That said, those who do rent do so multiple times per month. In Germany,

three-quarters of renters rent a video multiple times a month and a third rent weekly. UK renters have a very similar

profile to Germany. However, half of the Swedish renters watch one rented movie or less per month.

The most common way to rent in the UK is from a pay TV provider and then an online store. In Sweden and

Germany, it is the reverse, with renters preferring online stores like Amazon and Apple over their pay TV providers.

33% 28% 27%

67% 72% 73%

UK Germany Sweden

Number of people who rent movies or shows

No

Yes

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Do you rent movies or shows? (n=500, 500, 500)

17%

20%

30%

18%

15%

21%

35%

39%

22%

29%

25%

27%

UK

Germany

Sweden

Number of movies rented per month

<1 1 2-3 4 or more


How many movies or shows do you rent each month? (n=165, 142,135)


Buying More Popular Than Renting

Ownership still holds sway over renting. In the three countries studied, more people buy movies and shows than rent

them. 46% in the UK, 35% in Germany and Sweden say they buy movies. Purchase frequency is, understandably,

much lower than rental frequency. Nearly half of UK purchasers buy 2 or more movies a month while 2 in 5 Swedes

and Germans do the same. Almost half of Swedes buy less than one movie or show a month.

The most common way for people to buy is via a brick-and-mortar store in the UK and Germany. Swedes prefer

disc-by-mail services.

46%35% 35%

54%65% 65%

UK Germany Sweden

Number of people who buy movies or shows

No

Yes

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Do you buy movies or shows? (n=500, 500, 500)

36%

39%

47%

17%

21%

13%

29%

27%

20%

19%

12%

20%

UK

Germany

Sweden

Number of movies purchased per month

<1 1 2-3 4 or more


How many movies or shows do you rent each month? (n=165, 176,135)


F O C U S O N 1 8 - T O 2 4 - Y E A R - O L D S

Free-to-air Not Popular With the Young

Online TV is the most critical source of television for people

18 to 24 years old in all three countries studied. There is

indeed nothing new in that conclusion. Though both pay TV

and FTA are losing out to online TV, it is FTA that has

suffered the most among 18–24s. In the UK and Sweden,

FTA reaches 1 in 10 or less. National broadcasters are in

danger of losing their voice with the young, who increasingly

spend their time with global brands like Netflix and Amazon

Prime Video.

With their reliance on online TV, 18–24s also use more

services than average. In the UK and Germany, these young

adults use significantly more online video services than the

average. In Sweden, they also use more, though the gap is

considerably smaller.

Renting and Buying Habits Differ

Young adults have not totally given their viewing over to big viewing libraries provided by Netflix and YouTube.

More of them say they rent movies and shows than the average in each of the countries covered. The difference is

most sharply felt in the UK, where nearly half of 18–24s say they rent versus a third on average.

We see the same pattern with movie purchases. Far more 18–24s say they purchase movies or TV shows than the

average. The difference is most sharply felt in Germany and the UK.

33%28% 27%

46%

36%32%

UK Germany Sweden

Number of people that rent movies or shows—average vs. 18-24s

UK, Germany, Sweden

Average 18-24s

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Do you rent movies or shows? (n1=500,80 n2=500,96, n3=500,84)

46%

35% 35%

61%

51%

39%

UK Germany Sweden

Number of people that buy movies or shows—average vs. 18-24s

UK, Germany, Sweden

Average 18-24s

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Do you buy movies or shows? (n1=500,80 n2=500,96, n3=500,84)

2.4

1.9

2.42.7

2.22.6

UK Germany Sweden

Number of online video services used—average vs. 18-24s

Average 18-24

How many Internet video services do you use each month? (n1=500,80 n2=500,96, n3=500,84)

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D E F I N I N G T E R M S

Free-to-air

In the UK, this includes Freeview and Freesat. Germans can receive free TV using an over-the-air antenna, cable, DTH, or telco systems. Swedes must use an over-the-air antenna

to receive free TV.

Pay TV

Cable, satellite, and telco TV systems requiring a subscription.

Online TV

Streamed or downloaded TV including shows, movies, news, sports, documentary, and kids’ content.

Primary TV source

The TV source someone thinks of as the main place they go to watch.

Longest tenured service

The TV service an online video viewer has been subscribed to for the longest time, compared to other TV services.

Pay TV portal apps

Online apps provided by a pay TV operator that allow customers to access some or all of their subscribed content online.

Broadcaster apps

Online apps provided by a TV broadcaster that allow viewers to watch some or all of the broadcast content online.

Streaming media player

A box or stick that plugs into a TV to allow the user to watch streamed video on their television.

Smart TV

A TV that allows the user to watch streamed video without any other intermediary device.


About the Data

The survey data presented in this report was gathered in February and March 2019. We

surveyed 1500 adults who watch television, 500 each in the UK, Germany, and

Sweden. We then weighted the data to make it representative of the general population

of each country.

Note that our research findings may vary from local measurements due to different

methodologies and sample sizes.

Many of the diagrams give the population count answering a question. Where all three

countries are represented in a single diagram, the order of the populations given is

always the same: The UK, Germany, and Sweden.

nScreenMedia researchers use rigorous methodologies in constructing and validating

our research and opinions. Our collective knowledge includes information gathered

from public and private sources, industry interviews and other research sources. Since

the markets nScreenMedia covers are subject to rapid change, nScreenMedia is not

responsible for loss caused by any errors, omissions, or misinterpretation of the

content. All information is provided “as is” with no warranty implied or expressed.

nScreenMedia disclaims any liability to any individual or organization that has made

business or investment decisions based on the content of our research.

About Gracenote’s Sponsorship of This Research

nScreenMedia would like to thank Gracenote for sponsoring this research. Without

their sponsorship, it would not have been possible to bring this report to you for free.

Though Gracenote sponsored the research, it did not influence the collection,

analysis, or presentation of the data in this report.

Copyright Notice

This document is published by nScreenMedia, copyright 2019. Reproduction is

strictly forbidden unless authorized by nScreenMedia. This document must not be

forwarded. It is only for the personal use of the individual originally receiving it

from nScreenMedia. You may use diagrams and data points in presentations and

documents you create provided that: full attribution to nScreenMedia is included,

you do not include more the 20% of the diagrams in a single presentation or

document. All rights reserved.

References

1 Richard McManus, Tim O’Reilly Interview, Part 2: Business Models & RSS, readwrite, 17 Nov 2004,

readwrite.com/2004/11/17/tim_oreilly_int_1/ (accessed on 4/3/19)

2 Suzanne Deffree, 1st American TV Station Begins Broadcasting , July 2, 1928, EDN, 2 July 2018,

www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/edn-moments/4376579/1st-American-TV-station-begins-broadcasting--July-2--

1928 (accessed on 4/3/19)

3 Ofcom, UK Communications Market Report 2018, ofcom, August 2 2018, p24

4 AudienceProject, AudienceProject Insights 2018, AudienceProject, Q2 2018, p10

www.nScreenMedia.com

For more information contact:

[email protected]

This report is made possible

by the generous contribution of:

www.gracenote.com

https://readwrite.com/2004/11/17/tim_oreilly_int_1/

https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/edn-moments/4376579/1st-American-TV-station-begins-broadcasting--July-2--1928

https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/edn-moments/4376579/1st-American-TV-station-begins-broadcasting--July-2--1928

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