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Death of the ad break
quickie
Death of the ad break quickie
(30/08/05)
From meal times to sex, new research from Telewest Broadband
reveals that many aspects of our lives are being squeezed between our favourite
television programmes.
If holding your bladder until the Queen Vic
closes for the evening sounds familiar, you're not alone. The findings of a
survey commissioned by the cable company show that eating, chores, interacting
with other household members and even having sex are being put on hold by
viewers reluctant to miss a minute of their favourite shows.
This trend
is set to end however, with the arrival of Teleport, a new on-demand digital
television service from Telewest Broadband. Rolling-out to more than a million
customers by early next year, Teleport lets consumers create their own viewing
schedules, giving greater control over their lifestyles.
The move should
be welcomed, as 41% of those surveyed claimed that the time or place they eat
is dictated by the television schedule. And nearly two thirds of respondents
(61%) are happy not to eat proper meals at all until their favourite programme
finishes. Bursting for the loo is also given new meaning, as the research shows
well over three-quarters of us (88%) remain cross-legged until the end of a
programme.
Fixed scheduling is even having an impact on the sex lives of
the young, with some opting for 'ad-break quickies'. More than one in ten (13%)
of 18-29 year olds claim they use programme breaks as an opportunity to get
intimate with a partner. While another 11% from this age group also stated that
they actually avoid advances from their partner when their favourite programme
is on.
For those with little ones in the house, traditional TV
scheduling also impacts on interaction between parents and children. Sixteen
per cent of 30-50 year-olds surveyed admitted using breaks in programmes to
attend to their child's needs, such as putting them to bed. In some cases,
contact with other household members is being put on hold completely, with
nearly a quarter of 18-50 year olds (24%) banishing any conversation during a
favourite programme.
Washing dishes, ironing and switching on the kettle
were also found to be timetabled around television viewing. Thirty-seven per
cent of us fit household chores in between TV shows and, true to the British
stereotype, three quarters of us (76%) snatch the chance to make a
brew.
The introduction of Teleport , however, means the days of fitting
our lives around the TV will soon be a thing of the past. The service is
accessed via the cable company's existing set-top box and remote control and
gives customers complete control over the box with instant access to a vast
library of current TV programmes and movies at any time.
Being able to
watch what they want, when they want could also help reduce the amount of time
viewers currently spend watching programmes they do not really have an interest
in. Based on the research, the average Brit spends up to 145 hours each year
viewing shows they don't actually want to watch - the equivalent of sitting
through 96 Premiership football matches. For one in ten 18-50 year olds, this
rises to as much as 312 hours - almost two full weeks per year - watching
programmes because there is 'nothing else on' or they are waiting for another
programme to start.
Eric Tveter, president and chief operating officer
of Telewest Broadband, said: "These findings suggest our daily routines are
dictated by the television schedule more than we imagine, but structuring our
lifestyles to fit programmes with set start times need no longer be a reality.
Teleport has arrived and it's genuinely going to change the way people watch
TV. Our customers will have the choice and convenience of a service they can
tailor to fit their timetables - it's TV on their terms."
The new
service offers substantial free content including soaps, comedy and
documentaries alongside pay-per-view and subscription options. Customers
already taking the company's top digital TV package will have most elements of
the new service included at no extra cost, such as access to entire TV
series.
Telewest Broadband has already secured content from a wide range
of providers including Filmflex, the BBC, Flextech, Discovery Networks Europe,
National Geographic Channel Europe, Nickelodeon, Jetix (formerly Fox Kids) and
Playboy TV. The BBC agreement will initially provide over 180 hours of
documentaries, natural history, drama, light entertainment and children's
programmes. Ends
Notes
Telewest, the broadband
communications and media group, currently passes and markets to 4.7 million
homes and provides multi-channel television, telephone and internet services to
1.8 million residential customers. Its content division, Flextech, is the BBC's
partner in UKTV. Together they are the largest supplier of basic channels to
the UK pay-TV market with a portfolio that combines wholly owned and managed
channels, including the ten joint venture channels with the BBC.
Telewest
Broadband
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