An annual look at North American couch potatoes shows more people are watching video online, but very few are cutting off paid TV services. Given the $66 billion in traditional TV advertising revenue and $32 billion in programming fees that would be at risk if TV shows are offered for free online, content providers are not likely to let that happen, according to the The Battle for the American Couch Potato: New Challenges & Opportunities in the Content Market from Convergence Consulting Group. Certainly TV viewing habits are changing, as consumers expect to see more content on demand, but video service providers and content owners need to find ways to accommodate that change while protecting existing revenues, said Brahm Eiley, Convergence Consulting Group analyst and an author of the report.
