Most UK and US consumers unlikely to watch pirated content

Irdeto’s Dutch offices

Some 70% of US and 72% of UK consumers are unlikely to watch pirated content, according to new research by multiscreen, revenue assurance and media protection firm Irdeto.

The global study found that though viewing pirated content was still “clearly prevalent,” more than 90% of those that do watch pirated content in the US and 52% in the UK said they do so only a few times a year or less.

This indicates that in markets where more content is available, there is less of a need to download it illegally, said Irdeto.

The study noted that young viewers were still far more likely to view pirated content than older viewers, with 62% of 18-24 year olds in the UK and 54% of 18-34 year-olds in the US admitting to watching pirated content.

“One of the most interesting findings from our survey was that availability, poor quality, and security issues are deterrents for downloading illegal content. This is a clear message to operators to provide high quality content at the right price. This could be a differentiator to remain competitive in a diverse region like Asia Pac,” said Bengt Jonsson, Vice President for Asia-Pacific at Irdeto.

The research found that a “large majority” of consumers in Asia Pacific where open to consuming entertainment illegally. The proportion of respondents who said that they were unlikely or extremely unlikely to watch pirated content in Australia was 40%. In India the proportion was the same, while in Singapore it was 31%, and in Indonesia it was just 9%.

The number one reason listed for watching pirated video by most consumers in Australia (26%) and Singapore (31%) was because the content is not available legally in their location. However, price was a top driver for pirate video consumers in India (29%) and Indonesia (36%).

“The laptop and desktop have overtaken the TV as the most preferred device in some parts of Asia. This signals the onset of the multi-screen phenomenon in Asia Pacific. Countries like Singapore tend to be early adopters of technology and the trend is also evident in Asian countries such as Indonesia and India. It is a reflection of how hungry for content the consumers are in this region, and their desire to own and consume content on multiple screens,” said Jonsson.