DTV Misconception is Impacting HD Adoption
As the digital TV transition draws near, one misperception may have gained some steam: People actually think they’re gonna get high-def with the DTV changes.
According to recent research from Frank N. Magid Associates, more than 40 percent of U.S. households that have purchased a HDTV in the last year have yet to obtain high-def service from their TV provider. The problem, stated the report, may come down to consumer confusion.
“We believe that many of these HD service rejecters believe they will automatically start receiving their programming in high-definition concurrent with the digital broadcast transition,” said Maryann Baldwin, vice president of Magid Media Futures. That, of course, is an incorrect notion.
Beyond the confusion, the study found that 41 percent of HDTV owners don’t feel high-def programming service is worth the added cost. Also, 30 percent of survey respondents said they can’t afford HD and 18 percent said there are not enough channels available in HD to make the service worthwhile, stated the Magid study.
