VIEWERS WILLING TO PAY EXTRA FOR “TV EVERYWHERE”

Nearly 40 percent of TV viewers would be willing to pay an extra $5.00 per month to their cable or satellite provider in order to receive their TV programs whenever and wherever they want them, according to a new study from The Diffusion Group. Michael Greeson, who authored the new report, “Early Demand for TVE Services — A Consumer Snapshot,” noted in a statement that currently so-called TV Everywhere offerings are limited, offer “little in the way of compelling content,” and are being offered to subscribers free as a “value-added service.” Greeson, however, forecast that the providers will eventually “pull a Hulu,” referring to the video site owned by Fox, ABC/Disney, and NBC Universal that recently announced that its limited free service would be augmented by a “plus” subscription service for $10.00 per month. He predicts that pay-TV providers will eventually wean customers away from their free services by offering them “a premium tier worthy of an additional monthly fee.” Greeson said that he expects pay-TV providers will be keeping a close eye on Netflix, which is expected to launch its own streaming video service featuring “high-value Hollywood content,” which will compete with their own.