HD channel costs 'putting off viewers'

[BGonaSTICK]

Research by Ipsos-Mori suggests the cost of high-definition (HD) subscription services is putting off viewers from taking up the new technology. Ipsos-Mori found that just 16% of viewers with HD sets actually subscribed to an HD service.

Of those polled, 55% said cost was the reason why they had not taken up HD while 29% blamed a lack of HD channels.

Ipsos-Mori's Sarah Gale, head of the Media Minds unit, said: "With no channels broadcasting in parallel to non-HD stations, it's very hard to plan your viewing. As a result, people don't perceive the content to be available, so for now people aren't willing to pay the subscription rates just to get better quality pictures."

Ipsos-Mori surveyed 2,000 people, 10% of whom had HD sets.