TV Watchers: Paid TV Beats Free

Motorola Mobility, a subsidiary of the big maker of cable set-top boxes, says consumers prefer paid television programming -- cable, satellite or the Internet -- to free TV/video services. Trumpeting an independent global study, 57% of people want pay TV services -- although in 67% of those markets, consumers can get free-to-air TV services. The study adds that 42% of viewers have had an email, instant message or social-network interaction while watching a program -- often to talk about that specific TV program. Of this group, 22% says social media is a regular multitasking effort; and 61% would pay more for a TV service that offered this connection. Concerning HDTV, 75% of viewers say they either own or would pay to get a HD television set in the next 18 months; 25% are looking to upgrade their TVs to include 3D sets.