CMG SPECIAL REPORT : TRENDS & TECHNOLOGY

In this Trends &Technology Report:

- Consumer Media Consumption Is Changing - AND Rapidly!
- What's Best: Personality or Talent?
- Cord-Cutters: Not Coming Back To Cable
- Binge-Viewing - Getting More Popular

People Are Changing The Way They Consume Content

In general, all media consulting companies agree that adults (18 to 56) are shifting the majority of their video viewing to non-live content, including sports and other live entertainment.  This demographic group  is spending more time on-line and while they continue to spend their entertainment hours with professional quality video, they expect to watch on their own schedule and to have the option of skipping commercials when they choose - these viewers are referred to as 'On-Demanders'.

On-Demanders access video through various devices that allow them to 'time and location shift' their viewing:
-On average, On-Demanders own 5.4 devices for watching videos, including TV and PCs
- One-half subscribe to Netflix and/or another content streamer
- 40% own video-enabled mobile devices, i.e. smartphones and tablets
- Average 30 hours of video viewing each week
- Most turned off by intrusive, repetitive advertising

In the U.S., over 13% of consumers have completely opted out of live television and obtain their content through connected devices.  This group skews even younger with 30% of the total falling into the 18-24 age group.

To put it in raw terms, the current advertising model, that has been with us for decades, is now failing!
This presents serious implications for advertisers in reaching targeted audiences.  Consumers, worldwide, are demanding choice and control over what they view and when they view it.  On the plus side for marketers the data suggests that even On-Demanders would be willing to swap a service that stored their content remotely in return for advertisements - with 62% of adults saying they would be happy to be shown a few advertisements if it meant they received content storage for free! 

What's Better: Personality or Talent

Who To Hire?

According to an extensive international survey conducted by the global learning institute, Hyper Island, entitled "Tomorrow's Most Wanted", it appears that personality, not competence, is the determining factor of who's going to get the most attractive job offers.  Further, the survey found, there is a growing desire for talent in combination with skill, flexibility, collaborative traits.  Specific competence is becoming less important while personality  is most desirable.

In the survey, 78% of the respondents gave 'Personality' a top trait rating, while 'Skill-set' only garnered 38%. 'Cultural Alignment' came in at 53%. Only 14% of the respondents considered 'Drive' the most essential trait. And 'Creativity' received only a 12% top rating.

So, it appears that collaboration and team-effort instead of individual achievement is what digitally driven economies desire in workers - that personality matters more than skills.  Whether you run a cinema, a restaurant, a multi-national organization, or service company you want to hire employees who can adapt, be flexible, and work well with others. So, when hiring, according to the survey respondents:
- Don't get bogged down in the 'skill-set
- Look beyond the resume - find out what the person is really like
- Be specific in your wants. You may be looking for a meticulous and detailed-minded individual or someone that is energetic and personable.

The Hyper Island survey was conducted over a three month period in 2013 and polled over 500 international companies.  My feeling is that more and more, collaborative traits are a prerequisite in any business setting; however, skills and a sense of what is important to succeed are equal ingredients in the mix to accomplish business goals.

Cord-Cutters Happy To Stay Un-connected

Cord-cutters, those that have severed ties with their pay-for-view TV cable providers, represent about 18% of all TV viewers, but is a segment of the viewing population that is growing rapidly.  Worse, the TV cable service providers tactics to woo back cutters are not working.

84% of cord-cutters said they were "happy" with their decision to sever ties with their cable providers. "A growing group of broadband consumers are finding that life without pay TV is not only plausible, but also pleasurable", Colin Dixon, President of nScreenMedia, which recently concluded a survey on this topic, told CMG.  To the dismay of the cable companies the glue which normally holds cable subscribers to the cord - 'Sports' - was found not to be as sticky as once thought, as a mere 9% of cord-cutters said they missed viewing sports.

nScreenMedia's study also found that the most popular sites for cord-cutters was YouTube, followed by Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Plus.

Binge-Viewing On The Rise

Several months ago I posted on the rising trend in binge-viewing, the habit of viewing movies or TV shows from three-to-six or more hours at one-sitting.  Binge-viewing can now be considered a fact-of-life and not a budding trend, as viewers, worldwide, now binge-view on a regular basis.

Arris, a broadband technology firm, recently commissioned a study on binge-viewing, the results of which were released last week.  The study interviewed over 10,000 consumers in 19 countries and found that a whooping 80% of respondents admitted to binge-viewing. In the U.S., the number was 74%, with 25% of those in the 25-34 age group saying they binge at least once a week.

Standard HD-TVs were the most popular devices for binging with PCs, gaming consoles, tablets, smartphones, and UHD-TVs in that order.  According to the Arris study, 16% of respondents said they would pay for a service that let them immediately download or stream a completed TV series, while 21% would be willing to pay extra if that feature was tied to a cable service bundle.