Aussies Abandon Free-To-Air TV For On-Demand Services

More than one third of Australians now watch TV on an “on demand” basis rather than in the traditional free-to-air (FTA) way, according to new research from the Roy Morgan group.This includes either free or paid
“non-linear” viewing, including the TV networks’ catch-up services
and subscription video on demand (SVOD) operations, including Foxtel’s
offerings and the likes of Netflix.

Only around 42 percent of Australian still confine their TV viewing to the
traditional FTA broadcasts, with no Foxtel and no on-demand, Morgan reports.

Some 3.1pc watch only on demand TV; 1.4pc watch only Foxtel – and  8.7pc
now watch all three forms of TV.

And some bad news for Telstra and Rupert Murdoch’s News group – who each own 50
percent of Foxtel – Morgan notes that “more people collectively watch any
form” of on-demand than watch Foxtel through its set-top box.