Half of Nordic streamers use SVoD services

More than half of all streaming video users in the Nordics (52%) pay for a subscription streaming service, according to new research by media services provider Arkena.

The TDF Group-owned firm’s latest Nordic Video Index report said that a growing number of Nordic households are using video-on-demand services as a complement to linear TV selection, with the average household now spending €19 per-month on premium VoD subscriptions.

Netflix was the most-used streaming service across the four Nordic countries, being accessed by 43% of streaming customers. However this was down from 64% last year.

Viaplay was used by 19% of Nordic streaming customers and HBO Nordic by 9%, according to the research.

The most popular type of streamed content across the region was TV series, followed by films, documentaries and then sports.

The report claims that cord cutting is continuing, though at a “somewhat more leisurely pace” with 10% of Nordic households claiming they will terminate their cable or satellite subscription in favor of web TV services within the coming year.

In terms of device use, the computer was used most for watching streamed video content at 45%, followed by tablets at 25 % and smartphones at 13%.

“The possibility to watch whatever you want, whenever you want and on what screen you want are the biggest attractions of the internet TV services. In that context, linear television seems stiff and uninviting, especially to a younger generation. It’s simply not part of their video consumption behaviour and that mindset is beginning to spread. The process is driven on by the streaming companies’ large investments in high quality TV series”, said Jesper Arenhill, commercial lead and marketing manager at Arkena.

The report is based on a survey done by more than 4 000 people from the Nordic countries Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, aged 18 years old or above.

Arkena provides enterprises with a full range of video solutions including video hosting, over the top content and cloud based media asset management.