Young Viewers are Key Segment for the OTT Video Market

Dallas, Tex., April 24, 2014--Following OTT and content licensing announcements at NAB and the Aereo, Inc. case before the Supreme Court,Parks Associates today announced a new report Trends in Content Licensing that analyzes television and movie licensing trends and the impact of multiscreen, time-shifting, and the demand for exclusive content. The firm reports pay-TV penetration remains fairly steady at around 85% of U.S. broadband households but over-the-top (OTT) video use is increasing on multiple devices, particularly with younger viewers.

"Pay-TV subscriptions remain high among Millennials, but at the same time, nearly 40% in this age group consider online video the most important source for video content," said Glenn Hower, research analyst, Parks Associates. "As consumers diversify their viewing resources, the licensing process becomes more complex. Additionally, the Supreme Court case in ABC v. Aereo could drastically reshape the licensing environment for retransmission. A win by Aereo may set legal precedent for a method to rebroadcast without compensation.”

 

Parks Associates analysts note the cord-cutting threat hasn't materialized for pay-TV providers because consumers found the experience was too fragmented to get the content they want. This finding underscores the important role of content in retaining subscribers.

 

Trends in Content Licensing also examines the impact of "original content" as key players such as Yahoo, Amazon, and Netflix develop OTT strategies to reach out directly to viewers with content options exclusive to their respective services.

“From carriage fee battles between operators and networks to uncertainty in advertising dollars for multiscreen video, the market is experiencing growing pains,” Hower said. “The new report provides Parks Associates’ recommendations for entertainment companies, networks and broadcasters, pay-TV providers, and OTT providers.”

The report includes perspectives for all players in the licensing ecosystem, including content creators, studios and production companies, networks and motion picture distributors, consumer video providers, and intermediary players and new entrants. Information for the report is drawn from several sources, including Parks Associates' quarterly consumer surveys of 2,500 to 10,000 U.S. broadband households. Other research reports from Parks Associates include:

  • Online Video & Internet TV Services: Global Outlook
  • Digital Media Distribution: Market Update
  • Monetization of Multiscreen Video: Content Owner Strategies 
  • Online Entertainment: The New and Noteworthy
  • Evolution of the Mobile Content Market
  • OTT in a Pay-TV World

Trends in Content Licensing is available for purchase at http://www.parksassociates.com/report/content-licensing for $3,200.