Three-fifths of US households have SVOD service

A new study from Leichtman Research Group (LRG) has revealed more evidence that subscription video on-demand (SVOD) has become a core viewing component.

The survey of 1,209 US households found that 59% of all US households have a SVOD service from the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime, and/or Hulu, up from 47% in 2014. They are now particularly popular among non-subscribers to a pay-TV service. Indeed, the report calculated that 70% of all non-subscribers with a TV have an SVOD service, including 82% with a broadband Internet service at home. This compares with 57% of pay-TV subscribers.

The Emerging Video Services X study is LRG’s tenth annual study on this topic and also found that among those who have an SVOD service, nearly half stream an SVOD service at least monthly -- up from 41% in 2014. Nearly three-quarters of those aged 18-34 stream an SVOD service monthly, compared with 53% of ages 35-54, and 24% of those aged over 55. On a daily basis, 41% of adults watch video on non-TV devices (including home computers, mobile phones, iPads, tablets, and eReaders), and 62% weekly, up from 27% daily, and 53% weekly three years ago.

“SVOD services are in the majority of US households, and along with video to non-TV devices, have become core components in allowing pay-TV non-subscribers to cobble together a variety of viewing options,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for LRG. “On a daily basis, 49% of all non-subscribers with a TV stream an SVOD service, compared to 19% of pay-TV subscribers.”