Media Consumption - Ireland

Published by: Mintel International Group Ltd.

Published: Oct. 1, 2008

Table of Contents

Issues in the Market

Key themes

Definition

Media definition

Methodology

Abbreviations and terminology

Insights and Opportunities

Connecting people

Book ‘em

Expanding seasonal programming beyond tradition

Engaging consumers

Market in Brief

Relationship with technology

Market insight

Competition in the marketplace

Online developments in Ireland

Social and economic influences on Ireland’s media market

Empathy with older consumers

Fast Forward Trends

Trend 1: Anxiety Rising

Stress society

What’s next?

Trend 2: Persuasion Technology

What's it about?

What we've seen

What next?

Trend 3: Techno World

What's it about?

What we've seen

What next?

Internal Market Environment

Key points

NI urban consumers spend more

Figure 1: Average monthly household spend on internet service providers, by urban and rural consumers, NI and RoI, 2008

Interactive leisure

Figure 2: Consumer use of online applications amongst NI broadband users, 2008

Always the consumer

Figure 3: Purchases via the internet in the last 12 months, NI and RoI, June 2007

All-Ireland approach to online security

Telly addicts

Phone home

Figure 4: Fixed voice call volume, by type of minutes used, NI and RoI, January- March 2006-08

Source: ComReg/ Ofcom/Mintel

Source: ComReg/ Ofcom/Mintel

RoI pays more per head on mobile subscription?

Figure 6: European average revenue per user, Q1 2008

Mobile roaming

Radio gaga

Figure 7: Radio trends in NI*, 2006 and 2008

Users not tuning in

Snapshot of RoI radio sector

Commuter listeners

The golden hour

Figure 8: Amount of time spent travelling to and from work, NI and RoI, 2007

More opportunities for outdoor media

New innovations assist outdoor advertising market

Newspapers - changing their appeal

Changing direction

Figure 9: Consumer lifestyle statements regarding print media, agreement with statement, NI and RoI, 2007

Figure 10: Consumer lifestyle statements regarding print media, agreement with statement, NI and RoI, 2007

Broader Market Environment

Key points

Population

Women rule the airwaves in NI

Figure 11: NI population, by gender, 2006-20

Men more dominant in RoI

Figure 12: RoI population, by gender, 2006-20

Striking a balance

The ageing Irish population a double-edged sword for media channels

Figure 13: Forecast population change, by age, NI, 2000-20

Figure 14: Forecast population change, by age, RoI, 2000-20

Proactive steps

Smaller households, more individual exposure to media

Figure 15: Number of households, by size, NI and RoI, 2000-05

Cheaper media win out during economic gloom

Figure 16: Ireland’s economic situation, RoI and NI, 2006-08

Cinema

Socio-economic slide

Figure 17: Demographic breakdown of Irish population, by socio-economic group, NI and RoI, 2007

Employment levels

Figure 18: Percentage in employment, by age group, NI and RoI, 2000-05

RoI employees suffer

NI employment weathers downturn

Media Market Insight

Key points

Northern Ireland communication market snapshot

Figure 19: Breakdown of communications market, by region, NI, May 2008

Intense competition in RoI communications market

Figure 20: Percentage breakdown of RoI communications market, 2008

Eircom dominates RoI fixed phone market

Fixed line in NI

Landline telephone market share

Figure 21: Market share regarding fixed-line operators, NI, 2008

Broadband becomes essential

Figure 22: OECD broadband penetration rates, December 2007**

Broadband penetration rates continue to increase in RoI

Internet and broadband penetration rates in NI

NI broadband users prefer DSL access

1.28 million active internet subscriptions in RoI

Figure 23: Total number of active internet subscriptions in RoI, 31 March 2008

Broadband in RoI

Figure 24: Broadband subscriptions and growth rates, by platform, RoI, March 2008

NI and RoI mobile penetration ranks above EU average

Figure 25: European mobile phone penetration rates, March 2008

Multiple phone ownership

RoI mobile phone revenue in decline

Figure 26: Total mobile phone revenue, including calls, SMS and MMS, RoI, Q4 2006-Q1 2008

NI mobile phone revenue grows

Figure 27: Total mobile phone revenue, UK and NI, 2006-08

Prepaid vs post-paid mobile phone subscriptions

Figure 28: Prepaid & post-paid subscriber breakdown by operator, RoI, 31 March 2008*

The joys of a contract

Figure 29: Average monthly retail revenue per mobile subscription, by type, UK, 2002-07

Vodafone holds majority share of mobile subscribers in RoI

Figure 30: Consumer selection of mobile phone network provider, RoI, June 2008

Figure 31: Market share, by subscription, RoI, Q4 2006-Q1 2008

O2 is the most popular mobile phone provider in NI

Figure 32: Consumer selection of mobile phone network provider, NI, June 2008

Competition between competitors

RoI television market

Figure 33: Type of TV subscription and growth rate, by platform, RoI, Q1 2007 and Q1 2008

NI television market

Two thirds of people in Northern Ireland watch RoI channels

Pay-TV increasingly popular for Irish audiences

Figure 34: Estimated pay-TV subscription revenue, UK, NI, RoI and all Ireland, 2003-07*

All-Ireland newspapers and magazine market

Figure 35: Overview of the newspaper and magazine sector in Ireland, daily and weekly, end of June 2008

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Who’s innovating?

Key points

Taking web TV a step further

Fuzzy screens

Competitor for Google?

Future innovation that will make voice calls cheaper

Sidelining SMS bullies

Other applications

Media that tap into consumer distress over rising food costs

Extra-sensitive Wiimote - Wii MotionPlus

Competitive Context

Key points

Competing for advertisement spend

Figure 36: Total advertising expenditure, by medium, UK and RoI, 2007

RoI marketers sluggish to explore advertising opportunities online

Figure 37: Advertising expenditure, % share by medium, UK and RoI, 2007

Does technology rule consumers’ lives?

Competing with Ireland’s social hubs

Figure 38: Market size and forecast of total out-of-home dining/socialising spend, NI, RoI and all Ireland, 2000-11

Tapping into staying-at-home market

Penny pinchers may download illegally

Media Companies

Key points

TV media companies

BBC

Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ)

Ulster Television (UTV)

Channel 4

TV3

TG4

Sky

Radio Media Companies

Downtown Radio/Cool FM

Q Network

Belfast Citybeat

Today FM

Independent Network News

Other commercial radio in RoI

Community radio stations in RoI

Newspaper and Magazine Companies

News International

Morton Newsgroup

Independent News & Media (INM)

Irish News

Trinity Mirror (The Newsletter)

Mobile Phone Companies

Vodafone

O2

Meteor

T-Mobile

3

Orange

Internet Providers

BT

Eircom

TalkTalk

Clearwire

Irish Consumers’ Relationship with Technology

Key points

Figure 39: Emotions evoked by technology, according to focus group respondents, May 2008

Role of technology in modern society

Becoming a nation of technophiles?

Can’t live without it

Feelings of inadequacy

System overload

Nowhere to hide - contactable 24/7

What makes consumers engage in different media types?

Newsflash - consumers enjoy sharing experiences

Online is used to keep up to date and cut shopping costs

Table manners

Part of global community

Does technology make us feel safe?

Disgruntled consumers share their experience

Have traditional media types lost their appeal?

A strong sense that other media types are transferring online

Technology holds aspirational appeal

Why do consumers use different media types?

Mobile phones

The internet

How do you get local news: online, paper or TV?

Role played by technology brands

Technology - Bridging the Generation Gap

Key points

An inclusive approach to computer literacy

Fear of exclusion and addiction associated with technology

Younger Irish consumers keep in the technological loop

Figure 40: Consumer response to statement ‘I try to keep up with developments in technology’, by age, NI and RoI, 2007

Opportunities to tap into lucrative grey market

Higher preference for newspapers by over-55s

Younger consumers’ internet usage is more prevalent

Figure 41: Percentage of consumers who have used the internet in the last 12 months, by age, NI and RoI, 2007

Figure 42: Where consumers have accessed the internet, by age, NI and RoI, 2007

Radio proves most popular amongst older consumers

Figure 43: Percentage of consumers who agreed with statement ‘I listen to the radio every day’, by age, NI and RoI, 2007

Appendix

Figure 44: NI population, by gender, 2006-20

Figure 45: RoI population, by gender, 2006-20

Figure 46: Forecast population change, by age, NI, 2000-20

Figure 47: Forecast population change, by age, RoI, 2000-20

Figure 48: Number of daily/weekly newspapers in NI and RoI, 2007 and 2008

Figure 49: Number of daily/weekly/annual magazines in NI and RoI, 2007 and 2008

Consumer trends

Internet

Figure 50: Percentage of consumers who have used the internet in the last 12 months, by demographics, NI, 2007

Figure 51: Percentage of consumers who have used the internet in the last 12 months, by demographics, RoI, 2007

Figure 52: Where consumers access the internet from, by demographics, NI, 2007

Figure 53: Where consumers access the internet from, by demographics, RoI, 2007

Radio

Figure 54: Percentage of consumers who agreed with statement, ‘I listen to the radio every day’, by demographics, NI, 2007

Figure 55: Percentage of consumers who agreed with statement, ‘I listen to the radio every day’, by demographics, RoI, 2007

Abstract

In line with changing social and economic conditions in Ireland, the way consumers are accessing media channels is evolving.

A key difference between young Irish consumers and more mature consumers is the speed with which new media have been integrated into their daily routines, with understandably greater enthusiasm among younger consumers. An important conclusion from this report, however, is that few consumers are prepared to be left behind.

The challenge for advertisers is not only how to target consumers but how to reach them in new and more innovative ways, for example the proliferation of wi-fi spots. Today’s consumers have never been more connected.

This report looks primarily at the impact of technology on Irish lifestyles and why their relationship with technology is so important to consumers.

Key report themes:

• Why does technology have such an impact on Irish consumers?
• How have different types of media influenced consumers’ lifestyles?
• Are younger and older consumers digesting information differently?
• Does the rate of media consumption affect the success of new trends in the marketplace?
• Which media types have been most innovative in catering for changing consumers’ needs/expectations?

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