Movies are 'least-watched online content'

[BGonaSTICK]

Movie downloads, both legal and illegal, remain the least-watched genre of online video and only 5% of North Americans who watch video via the internet have rented or purchased a digital movie download, according to findings from ABI Research.

The new data shows that the number of web users paying for films is lower overall than those who claim to have downloaded a movie for free from a peer-to-peer sharing site.

The new study, Broadband Video and Web Television End-User Perceptions, goes on to reveal that the vast majority of online viewers (nearly 70%) are selecting short-form content such as sport and news clips.

Consumers who were asked why they choose not to watch films downloaded or streamed from the internet mainly cited their satisfaction with existing cable and satellite services, as well as DVDs. Nearly half (48%) claimed they would never purchase a movie download because they are happy with their current providers and the rental market.

Research director Michael Wolf said: "Despite the growing interest in the pay market for internet-delivered video, perhaps the biggest remaining hurdle to widespread adoption is that the status quo usually gives consumers a vastly superior, and often less expensive, experience than internet-delivered content".

He added: "The industry needs to develop reasons and business models that increase overall consumer interest in internet-delivered video, including allowing for easy transfer and better viewing on the large screen".