Unexpected Media

Britons are, however, more willing to accept targeted advertising on communication devices and are willing to share personal profile data, according to the accountancy firm’s global annual survey of consumers day-to-day use of mobile and PC technology titled – Consumers & Convergence IV.

81% Britons said they would go elsewhere for content if a previously free site we use frequently began charging – only 19% said they are prepared to pay. In comparison, 43% of consumers globally responded that they are now willing to pay to access frequently used online content. And when it came to Asia-Pacific even more users (59%) were ready to access information digitally for a price.

Tudor Aw, head of technology, KPMG Europe LLP, said: “UK consumers still haven’t come around to the idea of paying for digital content and are clear that they will move to other sites if pay walls are put up.”

Almost three quarters of  UK consumers are also willing to receive online ads in exchange to lower content costs. 48% said they will allow their personal profile data to be tracked, although concerns over online privacy and security remained.

Aw said: “Although consumers are resistant to paying for content, they are becoming more accepting of viewing advertising and for their profile information to be tracked. This continues a trend we have seen in previous years and again acts as a pointer as to whether a pay or ad-funded model will eventually succeed.”

According to KPMG, while these results are bad news for newspaper pay walls, there is better news for videos, music and games creators, as these are the most popular types of content for which people are willing to pay – 50% of respondents said they will pay for games, 44% for music and 35% for online videos.

In the light of this data, the current TSB competition for Collaboration Across Digital Industries (subject of a previous post) appears all the more relevant.