Adults 50+ Prove Valuable to MSO's

Adults 50+ Prove Valuable to MSO's

Latest Horowitz Study Shows True Value of 50+ Audience to Advertisers, Cable, Broadband and Beyond

WASHINGTON, March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Retirement Living TV (RLTV), the only network dedicated to adults 50+, collaborated with Horowitz Associates to gain insight on the 50+ consumer segment in the annual State of Cable & Broadband 2009(TM) report. The study provides insight on TV, broadband and other technology-related attitudes and behaviors of the 50+ population and all TV households. The study measures the perceived value of Retirement Living TV among this segment and reveals compelling findings about the audience for the network.

The study finds that the 50+ population are well on their way when it comes to having digital TV services in the home: Two thirds (65%) heads of household 50+ report having some sort of digital TV service (digital cable, satellite, or FiOS/U-verse). Six in ten (59%) have broadband at home. Currently, two out of ten households headed by a 50+ adult have a 3-service (TV, Internet, and phone) bundle, and an additional 30% say they would get a bundle if it meant a 10% discount off their monthly bill. These consumers are currently spending an average of $155 a month across all their telecommunications services.

Consumers 50+ are heavier TV viewers than any other segment in the survey, reporting an average of 5.2 daily TV hours (vs. 4.6 among total heads of household 18+). Moreover, despite high penetration of digital TV services, the 50+ segment is more likely to be watching TV in "real time." On average, among digital cable subscribers 50+, 72% of viewing is real time. Seventeen percent (17%) of their viewing is devoted to on-demand content, and 9% watching shows previously recorded on the DVR. This contrasts with 64%, 18%, and 17%, respectively, among the total digital cable subscribers in the survey.

The study finds that one in seven (15%) heads of household 50+ currently view or would consider RLTV as a valuable addition to their multichannel service. These consumers who perceive RLTV to be valuable are more likely than their 50+ counterparts to:

   --  Have an HD TV set (57% vs. 49% among those 50+ overall) and subscribe       to HD service (31% vs. 23%)    --  Subscribe to premium channels (45% vs. 33%) and subscribe to SVOD (27%       vs. 15%)    --  Subscribe to a DVR/TiVo service (43% vs. 31%)    --  Be more satisfied with their TV service overall (cable, satellite,       FiOS, U-Verse) (4/5 ratings on a 5-point, poor to excellent, scale 85%       vs. 71%)    --  Be more likely to subscribe to a 3-service package for 10% off their       total monthly bill (38% vs. 30% very likely/likely)   

"Consumers 50+ are not only loyal and low-churn customers, but are prime targets for 3-service bundle marketing," said Patrick Baldwin, GM, RLTV. "The research supports what our own experience has already shown -- it is these consumers who are the most valuable and attractive customers for our distribution partners. In the current economic climate, video providers can ill afford to ignore specialized programming for this audience."

"This data confirms that the 50+ population is indeed valuable to advertisers, media companies, and service providers," notes Adriana Waterston, VP, Marketing and Business Development, Horowitz Associates. "It is important to remember that the 50+ segment of today is very different than what we might have perceived about the 50+ populations in years past. Baby Boomers are now a core part of this segment. As these Baby Boomers near retirement age, we can anticipate they will be seeking out information, communication and entertainment that is relevant to their current and changing lifestyles."

State of Cable & Broadband 2009(TM) consists of 1,000 telephone interviews among heads of TV households and was conducted in January/February 2009. This survey was conducted among a stratified random sample of consumers using cable systems as the primary sampling unit.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Retirement Living TV

CONTACT: Kimberly Simmons, Media Relations and Communications Manager,
Retirement Living TV, +1-443-430-8948, or cell: +1-443-841-5313,
ksimmons@rl.tv

Web Site: http://www.rl.tv/

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Profile: International Entertainment