Cord Cutter redefined

NOT NOW, BUT WHEN THEY GET A JOB

New research from Parks Associates reveals some surprising findings about the media consumption trends and attitudes of college students. Yes, they watch of lot of on-demand digital video now, including some television programs, and not so much linear TV—but that’s because of their hectic school schedules. Many think that will change when they move into the working world and have a more fixed schedule.

Asked about future viewing plans, nearly two-thirds of students said they expect their habits to change once they leave college, although there was no consensus on exactly what their future video consumption habits will be. The largest group said they expect their total viewing to stay about the same, but among the sizeable group who said they expect to watch more TV programming the main reason given was that they expect to have more free time to watch TV and a schedule that is better aligned with linear TV programming. "Many note that they will watch the news more often on TV in the future," the report said.

"These findings suggest that many of these college students will sign up for a pay-TV or online video service after graduation," the report said. "However, there will be a persistent minority of college students who simply do not have adequate interest in TV to subscribe."

In their present situation, the vast majority of the college students surveyed either own a TV or have easy access to one. A majority even have access to a pay-TV service, although few pay for it themselves or get to choose what services are purchased. They like viewing programs on a larger TV screen, but because of their schedules, the students tend to do most of their viewing on a computer screen. Many also watch videos on their smartphones, but say the screen is too small to fully enjoy the experience.

"Video service providers can lay the groundwork for future business by engaging students while still in college," Parks Associates says. Young consumers have grown up in a world where time- and place-shifting of content are a given. To win them over pay-TV providers have to build value beyond just aggregating channels and competing on price. And content producers need to cultivate audience-building and program branding. It suggests that apps, social networking second-screen experiences and other tools are now key components.