TV on demand alive and kicking in Ireland

TV on demand looks set to grow in Ireland. Already 14% of Irish adults use an on demand service, with 60% watching on a TV set and 30% using a PC. On demand viewing remains light, suggesting that most people use the service to complement rather than replace regular viewing.

Forty per cent of those who use TV on demand watch less than an hour a week, 27% watch 1-2 hours a week and only 20% watch more than three hours a week. The RTE player and Sky Anytime are the most popular services for on demand.

The TV on demand audience is skewed towards Fledglings, those aged 15-34 who are not married and live with their parents, who represent 22% of the total. In percentage terms, the favourite channel amongst heavy on demand viewers (more than three hours a week) is RTE1. However, members of this group are over 80% more likely than the average adult to name UTV and a third more likely to name Sky Sports as their favourite TV channel.