Survey Commissioned by TCL Shows Millennials are 2.5X More Likely to Cut Their Cable Cords in Exchange for Smart TVs Than Baby Boomers

CORONA, CA, October 4, 2016 - TCL®, one of the world’s largest and America’s fastest-growing television brand, today unveiled the results of its recent national poll* of 2,000 Americans regarding cord cutting, the smart television experience and viewing habits. The results reveal surprising insights about how television consumption habits are drastically changing, including a booming shift toward cord cutting, smart TVs and streaming services. 

The new research shows that the number of cord-cutters – a person who cancels or forgoes a cable subscription in favor of an alternative Internet-based or wireless service – is continuing to grow exponentially in America. When looking at the research generationally, Millennials (people ages 18-34) are spearheading the trend, with the majority wanting to be part of the cord-cutting movement and having already cut ties with their cable services or never subscribed to a multiple system operator (MSO) to start with – the cord-nevers. Baby Boomers (people ages 51-69) are more slowly following suit, with one in five (20 percent) classifying themselves as cord-cutters. 

Similarly, streaming content – receiving and downloading audio or video files via the Internet – is also exploding in popularity. According to the research, nearly four out of five Americans are now streaming at least some, if not all, of their favorite content, with 70 percent of Millennials agreeing that most or all of what they watch is being streamed on their own time. 

“We believe that streaming is the future of television,” said Chris Larson, vice president, sales and marketing for TCL. “Consumers today want complete control over their entertainment and content consumption, which explains why a growing number of Americans now own a smart TV.” 

The survey findings also reinforced that “cost savings” and “flexibility of viewing” are of utmost importance for 75 percent of Americans when it comes to owning a smart TV. TCL Roku TVs® help save costs by eliminating the need for a cable box and extra devices, while also enabling access to the widest variety of content that viewers’ can stream and watch on their own time. Unlike others TV manufacturers, TCL also continues to include a tuner in all TCL Roku TVs as a critical supplement to streaming and a great way to access popular network TV and live sports in high definition over the air at no additional cost. 

Earlier this year, TCL unveiled its new Ultra HD 4K TCL Roku Smart TVs that incorporate one of the best combinations of picture quality, content, ease of use and value in the market today. The P130 series is being offered in 43” (43UP130), 50" (50UP130) and 55" (55UP130) screen sizes - all with easy access to more than 3,500 streaming channels and 350,000+ movies and TV episodes. 

“TCL has been a leader in the smart TV category since we introduced our award-winning TCL Roku TVs in 2014,” said Larson. “Our stylish design and leading technology, coupled with Roku’s wide selection of content, have been a great option for those looking to cut their cable cords and enjoy the content they love on their own time.” 

Fall Back to Season Premiers - Binging is the New Black 

Americans are nearly four times more excited about their favorite shows returning to primetime this fall than election coverage. While election coverage is low on everyone’s list, Millennials in particular are not going to be tuning in – only 10 percent said they look forward to this year’s presidential election. The return of college and professional football was highly anticipated amongst American males, with one-third saying that football is at the top of their television-viewing list this fall. 

More than one in five Americans (21 percent) would be willing to give up sex with their partner or a family meal for a night or a weekend to themselves with streaming access to their favorite content. Four out of five Americans would give up studying, after-hours work or exercise for their favorite shows. 

Nearly half of Americans (49 percent) say they have or would spend an entire weekend streaming TV series or movies. Similarly, 60 percent of Millennials say the ability to binge-watch TV and get caught up on content on their own terms is the biggest way cord-cutting has changed their viewing experience. 

Take Me Out to the Ballgame...or Not? 

Given recent technology enhancements with 4K and picture quality, more and more consumers are choosing to stay at home instead of heading out to the stadium to watch their favorite sports teams. Nearly two-thirds (57 percent) of those surveyed said that the sports viewing experience with Ultra HD picture quality is comparable to going to the stadium or that it’s closing the gap. Close to one-third (32 percent) of Americans now prefer to stream sporting events from the comfort of their living rooms. 

For full survey results, please email Heath Meyer (heath@zmcommunications.com). To learn more about TCL and its products, please visit www.tclusa.com. 
 

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*Survey Methodology 

TCL commissioned third-party research organization Survey Monkey to survey 2,000 male and female consumers in the United States on August 16-21, 2016. The sampling margin of error is +/-2.2 percent. 

About TCL 

TCL is one of the fastest growing consumer electronics and TV brands in North America. Founded in 1981, TCL (The Creative Life) established itself as a worldwide leader before recently launching in the U.S. TCL prides itself on offering customers high quality products with stylish design and the latest technology at a great value. TCL’s manufacturing expertise, vertically integrated supply chain, and state-of-the-art China Star panel factory, allows them to make large size TVs, premium design, and leading edge technology affordable for the U.S. consumer. 

For more information about TCL, please visit http://www.tclusa.com. 

TCL is a registered trademark of TCL Corporation. 

Roku is a registered trademark and Roku TV is a trademark of Roku, Inc. in the U.S. and in other countries.