Author Archive

Who’s on Netflix vs. Hulu vs. Other? A Panel based examination of SVOD users

Abstract:

The media industry is in a state of flux with continued fragmentation of consumer time and attention around media and across various devices and services. One such service that is popular among consumers today is SVOD (Subscription Video On-Demand) which enables on-demand access to both native digital content and TV-produced content. Forty eight percent of US homes have access to at least one SVOD service from providers such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu, up from 42% a year ago, according to Nielsen’s report. As consumers are shifting from live viewing to SVOD consumption, researchers are interested in understanding the underlying behavioral changes that are differentiating SVOD service providers. For instance, are consumers watch similar programs between Netflix and Hulu? Are there overlaps and/or uniqueness in consumer behaviors across these service providers? Answering these and many other questions is at the heart of this study and analysis. Read more

David vs. Goliath? Is Over-The-Top Challenging Traditional TV? A Case Study

Abstract:

Over the past few years, we have witnessed an expanding range of viewing devices and new content offerings by online streaming services (such as Netflix, Amazon and Hulu) through over-the-top (OTT) devices. Nearly 20% of U.S. households own at least one OTT device, such as a Roku, Amazon Fire TV, or Apple TV (Park Associates 2015). As these trends keep increasing, there have been debates on whether online streaming will replace traditional (or cable) TV in near future. Furthermore, questions have been raised around whether OTT viewing, via Apps, is cannibalizing or complementing network oriented TV viewing. Does multiple layers of ownership/access (ex: device, App, etc.) in OTT viewing play a role in their viewing/usage behavior to be different from traditional TV viewing? Does these two forms of TV viewership different in terms of types of programs watched, when they are watched, and how often they are watched? These are all questions of great importance to online publishers and advertisers, and, in general, to researchers working with large volume and variety of TV viewing data. Answering these questions is at the heart of this study and analysis. Read more

Nott Alone: Is OTT Making it cool again to watch TV together?

Co-viewing in television is the process of watching content alongside other people, typically members of the same household. Entertainment products are often consumed collectively, and television is no exception. In fact, watching television has traditionally been considered a social activity. But the digital age is starting to erode that premise: With more television content being watched every day on laptops, smartphones and tablets, it seems that watching TV is slowly becoming an individual pursuit. Read more

Methods and apparatus to determine an adjustment factor for media impressions

Patent Number: 9,118,542
Date Issued: August 25, 2015
Patent Title: Methods and apparatus to determine an adjustment factor for media impressions Read more

Only for the Young at Heart: Co-Viewing on Mobile Devices and Viewing on the Go?

Abstract:

With the relative ease and accessibility of a variety of content available to users of smartphones and tablets, there has been a subtle behavioral change in how people use these devices. The concept of viewing together or having more than one viewer for a mobile device is a phenomenon referred to as “co-viewing” and is a new area that warrants further investigation. Very little information is available on who is likely to engage in co-viewing behaviors, what types of mobile devices are used, what content is likely to be viewed and if those who engage in this activity / behavior are fundamentally different than those who are less likely—what are the behavioral or demographic differences among those who participate in these activities. Thus the focus here is to examine and provide a baseline understanding around the concept of co-viewing with specific focus of content viewing on the “go” or away from home. Read more

Methods and apparatus to determine audience duplication in cross-media campaigns

Patent Number: 8,973,023
Date Issued: March 3, 2015
Patent Title: Methods and apparatus to determine audience duplication in cross-media campaigns Read more

Speeders in a Multi-Mode Survey

What role does panelist engagement play in online survey data quality? Many industry and academic leaders continue to debate the answer (Baker et al., 2010). While there are many indicators of data quality in online surveys, such as item nonresponse (Rao & Gravelle, 2008) and breakoffs (Dirk & Loosveldt, 2006; Peytchev, 2009), survey completion time has recently risen in prominence. Research leaders scrutinize online panels today because of panelists participating in numerous surveys in short time periods, which suggests respondents seeking maximum returns (i.e., incentives) with minimal survey effort. Read more

Who Is behind That Screen? Solving the Puzzle of Within-Home Computer Sharing among Household Members

Abstract:

The number of US households with access to computers at home has continued to grow. According to the 2011 Computer and Internet Use report published by US department of Commerce, 77% of US homes have computers in their home, compared to 62% in 2003. Many households, however, do not have multiple computers dedicated to each member living in the house. As such, sharing of computers amongst household members can be a prevalent phenomenon in home computer usage. Understanding this within-house computer sharing phenomenon and identifying the mostly likely person behind the computer screen can be of interest to market researchers and practitioners, particularly those interested in studying effective ways to target online ads based on users, online activities. For survey researchers who are attempting to recruit hard-to-reach individuals like teens and young adults, understanding of computer sharing could help establish contact at times when those individuals are more likely to be behind the computer. Despite its prevalence, within-house computer sharing has barely received any research attention. This study hopes to break through the barriers preventing the light of scientific inquiry into this phenomenon. Read more

Is It Too Much to Ask? The Role of Question Difficulty in Survey Response Accuracy for Measures of Online Behavior

Abstract:

While market research capabilities of online panels have never been greater, the challenges facing these panels in many ways are just as great. Over the past few years, online panels that recruit members using nonprobability/opt-in based methods have come under increased scrutiny and criticism over data quality concerns such as respondent identity and increased satisficing. These concerns have drawn attention to the heart of the issue, which is: the accuracy or truthfulness of data provided by opt-in panel respondents. This issue is of utmost importance given the recently established link between opt-in panel sample and poor survey data quality (see Yeager et. al. 2011). Read more

Evaluation of Alternative Weighting Approaches to Reduce Nonresponse Bias

Abstract:

With declining response rates, surveys increasingly rely on weighting adjustments to correct for potential nonresponse bias. The resulting increased need to improve survey weights faces two key challenges. First, additional auxiliary data are needed to augment the models used to estimate the weights. Depending on the properties of these auxiliary data, nonresponse bias can be reduced, left the same, or even increased. Thus, the second challenge is to be able to evaluate the alternative weights, when the assumption of “different estimates means less bias” may not hold. Ideally, data need to be collected from as many nonrespondents as possible to provide direct estimates of nonresponse bias. Read more