Europeans Like to Watch Web TV

Close to half - 45 percent - of broadband users in Western Europe watch television via the web according to research just released by Motorola and conducted by StrategyOne (via paidContent and MarketingVox).

Among the five leading markets studied, France led with 59 percent of broadband users saying they watch Web TV, followed by Spain (48 percent), Italy and the UK (43 percent), and Germany (33 percent).

Some other findings from the study:

• Some 64 percent of UK households have two or more PCs, as do 57 percent and 54 percent of German and French households, respectively.
• Nearly a third of UK households have three or more TV sets.
• Nearly two-thirds of those under age 25 said they watch TV shows on the Web, compared with 30 percent of those over 55.
• Some 57 percent said they would use interactive services on web TV, such as background info on athletes during a game.
• 35 percent of viewers want the ability to pause, fast forward or rewind live broadcast programming.
• On average, users are now plugging three devices into the TV set, with nearly a third of Europeans attaching a digital camera to download and view photos.
• 45 percent of Europeans expect to be making video calls via their home TVs by the time the 2012 Olympics is on.

The research was commissioned by Motorola’s connected home solutions department and surveyed 2,500 broadband users in five countries.