Telephia Launches Audience Measurement Panel for Mobile TV

Telephia (pdf) announced the formation of a mobile television user panel to provide "detailed measurement of the attitudes and behaviors among the rapidly growing mobile TV audience." According to Telephia, "more than two million or 1.4 percent of the U.S. wireless user base subscribed to a mobile video plan during the first quarter of 2006. The average U.S. mobile TV subscriber spends $40 a month more on wireless services than non-TV subscribers."

Sid Gorham at Telephia said, "Mobile TV represents a huge revenue opportunity for companies in all parts of the communications and entertainment value chain. To execute successfully on this exciting opportunity, the industry needs detailed research that tracks the evolving behavior and preferences of the mobile TV user. Our clients are particularly interested in using audience measurement data to target advertising and interactive commerce."

Telephia pointed out that "the Hispanic and Black/African-American demographic groups made up 23 and 19 percent of the mobile TV subscriber base in the U.S. during Q1 2006, respectively. This is approximately double the share these groups represent of the broader mobile user population."

Gorham added, "The early popularity of mobile TV with these groups continues the demographic trend we see in the adoption of all advanced mobile data services. Mobile TV will allow marketers to reach this audience with a wide range of innovative advertising and commerce approaches."

Table 1: Demographics of Mobile TV Subscribers, Wireless and Non-Subscribers (U.S.)
                        Mobile TV    Wireless        Non-
Demographic Group                Subscribers  Subscribers  Subscribers
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White                                    47%          72%          76%
Hispanic                                 23%          10%           8%
Black/African-American                   19%          11%           8%
Asian or Pacific Islander                 7%           2%           2%

Source: Telephia, Q1 2006