Abstract:

The paper reviews the extent to which the video recorder has become an important, and complicating, part of the television audience scene - with implications for all sections of the industry, including researchers. Within a year or two ownership of video recorders will exceed a quarter of all households almost everywhere in Europe, and in some markets will be considerably higher. Already use of video, particularly as monitored in the UK (where ownership is still well above the European average) has important implications for broadcasters and advertisers. The paper highlights the broad patterns of use emerging from the BARB peoplemeter panel. In addition, it gives an insight into detailed behaviour - the playback of time shifted recordings in particular - based on a special panel equipped with AGB video recording 'fingerprinting' equipment. Work to date draws attention to the full complexity of handling and presenting information on audiences to video and the paper concludes by summarising options for the future - for surely video will not go away.