Heavy video streaming may not necessarily be cannibalizing traditional pay TV — it may be helping out in some cases, according to one survey. A report from Kantar company TNS, a media consultant/advisory, says that “while streamers are more likely than non-streamers to downgrade their level of traditional pay TV service — 9% versus 6% — they are also more likely to upgrade their level of service — 16% versus 6%. And of those that make improvements? Those consumers who many pay TV providers fear losing — young viewers and millennials. Adults under age 30, who comprise less than 20% of all pay TV subscribers with streaming technology, represent one-third of TV homes that recently purchased more channels and/or features from their traditional video provider. Streaming has been steadily growing. In the third quarter, 34% of respondents said they have “streamed in the past month,” up from 27% in the third quarter of 2012. But the eye-opening statistic comes when the survey asked those who have paid for a stream during the past month. That number was 26% versus 16% in the third quarter of 2012. Overall, TNS says pay TV households that also stream video are more than twice as likely as non-streaming households to have made a change to their service level with their pay TV provider — 25% against 12%. TNS’ survey was of nearly 25,000 U.S. homes.
