Broadband kicks TV into touch

From couch potatoes to e-potatoes

By Tim Richardson • Get more from this author

Posted in Telecoms, 8th April 2004 10:07 GMT

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Nights in front of the TV could become a thing of the past as more and more people get hooked up to broadband.

More than half of those quizzed in a recent survey said they spent less time in front of the goggle box since getting broadband. Instead, they're staring at a monitor all night and doing stuff online.

Strategy Analytics surveyed 800 European broadband users and discovered that 56 per cent spent less, or a lot less, time watching television since subscribing to broadband.

In its report Broadcasters Beware: Broadband Is Stealing Your Viewers, the firm warns that TV broadcasters are losing millions of viewers to broadband Internet services.

"Television is clearly suffering the most from the rapid growth of broadband," said analyst David Mercer. "A growing number of viewers are now choosing to spend their spare time communicating online and finding entertainment on the Internet, rather than sitting in front of the TV set. TV companies need to face up to this reality and start preparing for the brave new world of broadband entertainment." ®