For traditional broadcasters looking for more innovative ways to attract eyeballs, they could do no worse than turn to a time-tested ally — live events.
According to new global research commissioned by Nevion, live events are the preferred genre of broadcast content for 40% of TV viewers around the world, surpassing on-demand content via streaming services (31%) or scheduled programming by TV stations (29%).
Nevion also found that live events are bridging the generational divide, with live programming resonating with different demographics. Of the three main content genres available to consumers today, live event broadcasting is the preferred choice of 58% of 18–24-year-olds and 31% of over 65s.
For many viewers, live events are also a communal activity, with almost one-in-five (19%) watching live broadcast events with someone else in-person at least once a day, and 59% use social media or messaging activities to talk to friends and family about key moments.
With a quarter of consumers surveyed saying they will primarily consume live broadcast events over the next 12 months, broadcasters are encouraged to focus on benefits such as high visual quality and specific content offering to retain their viewership base.
Oliver Suard, VP of Marketing, Nevion, said, “Our results show that live event broadcasting is not only more popular than on-demand and scheduled programming, but that it is a powerful unifier across generations.
“Broadcasters now have a great opportunity to tap into the unique advantages of live events to draw in new customers and keep current ones engaged. With the right technology, they can transform the logistics and economics of mission critical live production to create compelling new content types in the highest visual quality.”