UK Consumers More Willing To Pay To Access Content

The number of Britons willing to pay to get high-quality content online is increasing, although they are spending less time on browsing social media, watching TV and reading books than previously, published in a report from KPMG today.

In April, the advisory firm polled more than 1,000 Britons to explore their attitudes towards new and traditional media in order to prepare its Media & Entertainment Barometer. The survey showed that over 50% of those surveyed believed that accessing free content is one of the advantages of online media, which is down from 80% in 2009, implying a dramatic shift in opinion. At the same time, 36% of respondents said that they favoured accessing media online as it delivers better ‘value for money’, compared to just 15% who felt that way four years ago.

Overall, while media consumption in many areas has slightly declined, Britons have increased the amount they spend on media across many of the categories, both online and offline. This suggests that media organisations are now powerful enough to dictate media habits and to persuade users that it is worth paying for content, David Elms, head of media at KPMG, commented.

The researcher also found that Britons continue to spend more on traditional media than on new formats, allocating three times more (£6 per month) to access traditional media rather than online content (£2 per month), with TV being the most favoured medium for accessing content. As to digital content, Britons pay mainly for eBooks and online gaming, but the popularity of paid apps is growing as well, scoring the biggest rise in spending this year.