… as survey reveals cable households watch more TV

Viewers in cable homes watch more TV than non-cable households, and higher cable and satellite channel is at the expense of terrestrial channels, new research shows.

The main cable-exclusive channels reach over half of all people and almost three-quarters of all men and three-quarters of all adults in cable homes, according to the first Cable Audience Measurement Survey published this week.

In total, cable and satellite channels achieve a combined average weekly reach of 93.6 per cent of all cable home individuals.

Cable-exclusive channels perform “relatively well” with their target audiences, the findings show. Cable-only Channel One enjoys a higher average reach than the cable and satellite channel Sky News in London.

The Box achieves a higher viewing share than MTV among ten to 15-year-olds – 1.8 per cent compared with 1.5 per cent for MTV and 0.8 per cent for VH-1.

The survey also reveals that cable households are heavy users of technology – 34 per cent have a games console, and 29 per cent have a computer compared with a national average of 24 per cent, according to TGI.

The findings are based on diary research commissioned by the Cable Research Group. Research was conducted in January among 997 adults and 315 children by research company RSMB.

A decision has yet to be taken about whether to commission further research.

More pressing is the cable industry’s participation in the BARB consultation committee discussing future TV research. Cable companies argue they have been long under-represented by BARB’s panel.