Radio / Television News

Free online TV viewing hampered by ad loads, Netflix: report

TORONTO - Based just on the full-episode TV shows Canadian broadcasters and specialty channels made available online for free in 2015 (so, not requiring a TV subscription, iTunes, Netflix, etc.), Toronto research firm Convergence Consulting estimates on average that 19% of the weekly viewing audience watched, on average, four episodes.That figure was the same in 2014 and the company is forecasting the same 19% for 2016, attributing the lack of growth to Netflix, PVR penetration (estimated at 63% of Canadian TV subscribers in 2015), online advertising loads, and TV Everywhere. According to The Battle for the North American (US/Canada) Couch Potato:...