Early TV Everywhere Data Finds Consumers Tolerate More Ads Online

Early TV Everywhere Data Finds Consumers Tolerate More Ads Online

Consumers will tolerate more ads and stay tuned into online TV when networks up the ad load, according to data I came across during my reporting on Comcast’s TV Everywhere.

Executives at sister networks History Channel and A&E tell me that when they increased the number of ads in full-length episodes of their shows by 20% in the early TV Everywhere roll-outs, viewers still watched the episodes to completion by the same amount. That means the increased ad load isn’t turning viewers off. This data is particularly noteworthy given a recent research report from comScore found that consumers won’t mind a doubling of ads in online TV.

Also, Anthony Soohoo at CBS told us at the Beet.TV roundtable in February that CBS is considering increasing the number of ads.

For more details, here is my New Media Minute this week.