VOD Totals 35 Percent of TV/Video Viewing

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STOCKHOLM—Ericsson has released the 2015 edition of its annual Ericsson ConsumerLab TV & Media Report and the big winner this year is video on-demand. According to the report, VOD now represents 35 percent of all TV and video viewing. The report also revealed new numbers on viewership on smartphones and for user-generated content.

Ericsson found that consumers are spending on average six hours per week watching streamed on-demand content; more than double what it was in 2011. Including recorded and downloaded content, the report claims that every third viewing hour is spent watching VOD.

The report also indicated a growth in the number of people watching content on their mobile devices. A total of 61 percent of consumers watch content on their smartphone, an increase of 71 percent since 2012. Teenagers spend nearly two –thirds of their time watching TV and video on a mobile device when the numbers from smartphones, tablets and laptops are combined.

The growth of user-generated content was also a topic of Ericsson’s report, showing a growth in share of consumers’ viewing time. The report shows that one in 10 people watch YouTube more than three hours a day, and one in three consider it important to access user-generated content on their home TV. Educational and instructional videos have also seen an increase in viewership from sites like YouTube, with an average of 73 minutes/week being watch by consumers.

“The continued rise of streamed video on demand and UCG services reflects the importance of three specific factors to today’s viewers: great content, flexibility, and a high-quality overall experience,” said Anders Erlandsson, senior advisor, Ericsson ConsumerLab.

Additional findings from the report include bingeing habits, content searches, linear TV popularity, and OTT vs. pay-TV. The full report can be viewed here.