SAN FRANCISCO–The audience for mobile TV grew 45 percent to 3.7 million subscribers in the second quarter of 2006 as news, weather and sports channels topped the list as the most-watched content, according to a new report by consumer research firm Telephia.
The study also found that total quarterly mobile TV revenues jumped 67 percent since the first quarter to $86 million last quarter.
Telephia explained that its newly launched Mobile TV Diary Report measures mobile TV viewership, revenue performance, demographic profiles, behavioral measures and advertising preferences. The firm said its report includes data about streaming TV as well as video-on-demand services.
“News and information is the killer app for mobile television,” declared Tamara Gaffney, director of product management at Telephia.
Among all mobile TV users, ABC News was the most watched channel during this year’s second quarter, having secured 40 percent of the total mobile TV audience, Telephia reported.
Thirty-two percent of the total mobile TV audience watched The Weather Channel, while Fox Sports and ESPN followed closely with 31 and 29 percent, respectively. Fox News grabbed 22 percent of the total mobile TV audience.
In terms of access reach, which is the percentage of people who watch relative to those who had access to the channel, CNN secured the top spot with 65 percent of mobile TV users with access to CNN. The Weather Channel had the widest distribution with an access rate of 82 percent.
“While still in its nascent stages, mobile TV shows significant and unique promise given the ability of the consumer to shift viewing from location to location,” continued Gaffney. “As seen with ABC News, Fox Sports and The Weather Channel, securing the widest distribution and coverage remains a primary objective. Additionally, channels that deliver trusted, branded content, as seen with CNN, ensure high viewership will continue after launch.”
