Binge viewing governs OTT content and revenue: Conviva report

Conviva, an OTT video experience optimisation company, has released the findings of the report, “Binge Watching: The New Currency of Video Economics” based on a recent survey of 750 binge-watching consumers.  The survey found that unavailable episodes – defined as either impossible to find, or delivered within a sub-par playback experience – prompt nearly half of all OTT binge-watchers to give up on a series, with half of them neutral-to-unlikely to ever return.

The survey also reveals the very real financial opportunities and implications of cultivating committed, engaged audiences.

“Binge-watchers represent dedicated consumers,” said Hui Zhang, CEO of Conviva.

“As the line between OTT consumption and content creation blurs due to shifting viewing models, publishers need to ensure they’re building long-term value with viewers. Conviva helps the world’s top media and entertainment companies analyse, benchmark and optimise engagement through a 360-degree view of the entire video delivery ecosystem, ensuring an optimal binge-watching experience with every click of ‘Continue’.”

Key findings of the survey include:

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• Viewers report low tolerance for unavailable episodes: Only 22 percent of respondents would wait for an episode to become available.

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• Computers are still king when it comes to binge-watchers: One quarter to just more than a third of viewers use devices ranging from Pay TV to game consoles, with the majority still watching from a computer or laptop.

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• Quality over quantity with binge-watchers: Only 11 percent will replace an old series with a new one (and only if it’s great).

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• Once they’re gone, they’re likely gone forever: More than half of the respondents are less than fully committed to return to a series once they stop watching for any reason.

Conviva conducted the survey in mid 2015, interviewing 750 consumers that fell within the key demographic of OTT viewers ages 26-34.