ABC News on Apple TV proves more popular than desktop & mobile in first month
Apple TV users have flocked to ABC News's recently-unveiled live video offerings, the network said on Wednesday, with Apple TV viewers consuming 50 percent more live ABC News programming than viewers on desktops and mobile devices combined.
Live programming accounted for some 20 percent of the channel's total views, making the live stream the channel's most-watched video content. Viewership peaked on July 17, as Apple TV users tuned in for live coverage of the Malaysia Airlines flight that was downed over Ukraine.
Apple TV users also spend more time with ABC News's content in total. Those using the set-top streamer racked up 65 percent more viewing time than those on desktop computers.
Viewers also appear to be turning to the Apple TV in lieu of traditional cable programming, as ABC News reported that daily usage peaks at 9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. That comes in the middle of the hours traditionally referred to as "prime time," which generally runs from 8 p.m. Eastern to 11 p.m. Eastern.
ABC News launched on Apple TV in late June, bringing live and on-demand content to users with a cable subscription. Thanks to the channel's success, existing local content from New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh, Fresno, and Milwaukee is set to be augmented by affiliates in Albuquerque, Boston, and Honolulu.
Live programming accounted for some 20 percent of the channel's total views, making the live stream the channel's most-watched video content. Viewership peaked on July 17, as Apple TV users tuned in for live coverage of the Malaysia Airlines flight that was downed over Ukraine.
Apple TV users also spend more time with ABC News's content in total. Those using the set-top streamer racked up 65 percent more viewing time than those on desktop computers.
Viewers also appear to be turning to the Apple TV in lieu of traditional cable programming, as ABC News reported that daily usage peaks at 9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. That comes in the middle of the hours traditionally referred to as "prime time," which generally runs from 8 p.m. Eastern to 11 p.m. Eastern.
ABC News launched on Apple TV in late June, bringing live and on-demand content to users with a cable subscription. Thanks to the channel's success, existing local content from New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh, Fresno, and Milwaukee is set to be augmented by affiliates in Albuquerque, Boston, and Honolulu.
Comments
Now if we could do without needing a cable subscription to watch certain things that would be a dream come true
That will be a long time, if ever.. Comcast and other cable and satellite tv providers have a death grip on much of the networks. If they didn't they'd see a mass exodus and they are very afraid of seeing that. It's all about who's greasing who's palms..
Only way to break that really is for someone like Apple to come out with a great, easy, "Channel Store", similar in concept to the App Store, where independent digital streaming broadcasters and the like can be born and can buy-in cheaply and bypass the networks, al la carte. That would require a lot of change with the Apple TV though and Apple would need to get into the TV advertising as such and that would open a whole NEW can of worms..
The Apple TV UI would need a MAJOR overhaul though.. it's current form is clunky and would not be very good for a massive volume of streaming digital broadcasters.
And that's supporting only a handful of local regions- think about if they supported all the local regions.
The PBS app, for example, uses your location to determine what programming you get. Why couldn't ABC do the same?
Now if we could do without needing a cable subscription to watch certain things that would be a dream come true
You actually don't need a cable subscription to watch that particular channel.
Maybe. But I see essentially the same UI of a grid of tiles or icons on the PlayStation Network or Xbox Live content libraries, and wonder why Apple's is especially worthy of criticism. Why?
The accumulated backlog of all their shows and movies will foam up about their iTunes Libraries and all the users will look up at Apple and shout “Save Us!” and the cable companies will whisper in Apple’s ear “No.”
Not surprising to me at all. Even with the explosion of screen options for viewing video content, the TV remains the dominant viewing device by a wide margin, for the simple reason that it allows for comfortable viewing while lounging around the house. Computers don't allow that, as they are "lean forward" devices and video viewing is best done while leaning back. Mobile devices are nice for viewing on the go, but again, most video content viewing occurs at home. This has been reiterated in every credible tracking study of viewing habits.
As far as Apple TV goes, it never ceases to amaze me that people expect it to be some kind of cord cutting panacea by which to unshackle themselves from the cable/satellite/IPTV companies. Simply put - it won't happen. Too much money has been contractually tied down between the content providers and the pay TV carriers for Apple or anybody else to just swoop in and redistribute a full slate of programming for free or for a low cost.
Plus, you now have cable companies forming or acquiring their own networks, particularly with sports programming. The carriage agreements now run in the billions of dollars and can last for upwards of a decade or longer (for example, ESPN's newly inaugurated SEC Network requires a 20-year carriage commitment at ~$1.35 per household per month in SEC markets). With that kind of money and long-term lock down, the pay TV carriers have considerable leverage and Apple simply does not have an opening to disrupt the cable cabal in the near future. That's why any expansion of Apple TV will have to include the cable/satellite/IPTV companies at the table.
Yeah, its pretty good. And so far no ads!
Viewers also appear to be turning to the Apple TV in lieu of traditional cable programming, as ABC News reported that daily usage peaks at 9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
Instead of banging their heads against the wall-of-Television-as-we-know-it, Apple is gradually building a better wall. More and more icons appear in the Apple TV home screen, each one representing a brick moving from the old-TV wall to the Apple TV wall.
Not surprising to me at all. Even with the explosion of screen options for viewing video content, the TV remains the dominant viewing device by a wide margin, for the simple reason that it allows for comfortable viewing while lounging around the house. Computers don't allow that, as they are "lean forward" devices and video viewing is best done while leaning back. Mobile devices are nice for viewing on the go, but again, most video content viewing occurs at home. This has been reiterated in every credible tracking study of viewing habits.
As far as Apple TV goes, it never ceases to amaze me that people expect it to be some kind of cord cutting panacea by which to unshackle themselves from the cable/satellite/IPTV companies. Simply put - it won't happen. Too much money has been contractually tied down between the content providers and the pay TV carriers for Apple or anybody else to just swoop in and redistribute a full slate of programming for free or for a low cost.
Plus, you now have cable companies forming or acquiring their own networks, particularly with sports programming. The carriage agreements now run in the billions of dollars and can last for upwards of a decade or longer (for example, ESPN's newly inaugurated SEC Network requires a 20-year carriage commitment at ~$1.35 per household per month in SEC markets). With that kind of money and long-term lock down, the pay TV carriers have considerable leverage and Apple simply does not have an opening to disrupt the cable cabal in the near future. That's why any expansion of Apple TV will have to include the cable/satellite/IPTV companies at the table.
Agree almost completely. Just a minor comment about this sentence:
"Too much money has been contractually tied down between the content providers and the pay TV carriers for Apple or anybody else to just swoop in and redistribute a full slate of programming for free or for a low cost."
I'd be happy to pay a little more (but too much more) than I'm currently paying f-ing DirecTV if I could have a vastly better front-end to all of that content. It's torture typing keywords on-screen with the remote. It's torture trying to remember what show is on what network. It's torture trying to remember 3- and 4-digit channel numbers. IMHO all of that needs to go away. Eventually, I want to say this to Siri: "Are there any new episodes of Mad Men? Good. Show me the first one now."
I don't care about "free or for a low cost." You're right: it's never going to happen. On the other hand, as long as it's not too expensive, I'd pay more for a better content organization and discovery mechanism. And that probably means eliminating the old-school 45-button remote, by the way.
No cable company has universal coverage. They all have their alloted markets and are not allowed to operate outside of them.
Ah, forced monopolies. That’s the American way!
The funny thing is that they're called natural monopolies and there's not one thing natural about them.
That will be a long time, if ever.. Comcast and other cable and satellite tv providers have a death grip on much of the networks. If they didn't they'd see a mass exodus and they are very afraid of seeing that. It's all about who's greasing who's palms..
Only way to break that really is for someone like Apple to come out with a great, easy, "Channel Store", similar in concept to the App Store, where independent digital streaming broadcasters and the like can be born and can buy-in cheaply and bypass the networks, al la carte. That would require a lot of change with the Apple TV though and Apple would need to get into the TV advertising as such and that would open a whole NEW can of worms..
The Apple TV UI would need a MAJOR overhaul though.. it's current form is clunky and would not be very good for a massive volume of streaming digital broadcasters.
It's why it's time for Apple to build there own network and completely bypass the cable & mobile companies. This way they can have a direct link to all their devices (home, mobile, auto) via fiber and wi-fi and control the network for the best speeds possible.
It would take all of their cash, and then some to do that. It would probably take decades to recover the cost.
http://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-it-would-cost-google-to-build-a-cable-network-2012-12
The next big thing was supposed to be Wii U, its interface and capabilities are genius but Nintendo's marketing and execution is GARBAGE.
Apple needs to redesign this box and add some innovative and unexpected features which would get more people involved. I don't think gaming is this revolutionary thing.
They just might have to spend the dough tho'.
I would like to see them acquire Time Warner or something that would give them the advantage needed(if government allows).
There's an obstacle here, but my spider senses are telling me this thing CAN be huge.