Toronto, ON – Forget about cord-cutting. A new Ipsos Reid study reports that more and more Canadians are becoming “content stackers,” supplementing traditional TV services through new services, screens, and technologies.
Nearly three-quarters of Canadian adults subscribe to cable TV, satellite TV or IPTV, and almost half of TV subscribers complement their service with one or more over-the-top (OTT) content services.
“Given that the majority of adult Canadians are still subscribing to Cable TV, Satellite TV, or IPTV, we think the story is really about another predominant trend and that is, ‘content stacking’, where a number of Canadians are keeping their cable TV, satellite TV or IPTV service and subscribing to or using OTT services,” said Mary Beth Barbour, SVP with Ipsos Reid, in a release.
Over the years, Canadians have seen the introduction of a number of OTT services, including video subscription services (like Netflix), video retail websites (such as iTunes, Google Play, Xbox Live), premium specialty channels (such as HBO, Leafs TV, Super Channel, etc.), and premium TV network website/online subscription services (such as NHL.com, MLB.com, TMNGo.ca).
Barbour added that the addition of OTT services are feeding the emerging trend of binge viewing, which typically involves watching a number of episodes, from the same series, back to back.
The Ipsos Reid study appears to confirm the findings of a larger worldwide study by Deloitte in January of top technology media and communications trends, which predicted that as many as 50 million homes worldwide will pay for TV through a traditional distributor and have at least one other OTT TV service by the end of 2014.
The study of approximately 1,000 adult Canadians surveyed from across Canada in January also revealed that, among those who subscribe to cable TV/satellite TV/IPTV service:
-
27% subscribe to/use premium TV network specialty channels (e.g., HBO, Leafs TV, Super Channel, etc.)
-
20% subscribe to/use video subscription services (e.g., Netflix)
-
20% subscribe to/use video retail websites (e.g., iTunes, Google Play, Xbox Live)
-
7% subscribe to/use premium TV network website/online subscription services (e.g., NHL.com, MLB.com, TMNGo.ca)
“As for the 26% of adult Canadians who do not currently subscribe to cable, satellite, or IPTV service today, they are composed to some degree of cord cutters, and we cannot forget about the ‘cord nevers,’” said Barbour. “That is, the unique category who, upon leaving the nest, opt not to subscribe to any traditional TV service.”
