Movie Downloading Awareness Grows

Ipsos-Insight reveals that more Americans are now aware of Internet-based movie acquisition methods than last year, with the vast number of households already having the technological capability to download movies from their homes. Their study reports strong home theater ownership, while a growing number of consumers own vehicle-based DVD players. In late 2004, findings revealed that nearly one-half (47 percent) of Americans aged 12 and older were aware of the ability to download a full-length motion picture off of the Internet. While actual downloading activity remains steady, awareness increased to 53 percent in the first quarter of 2005, suggesting a growing consumer orientation toward alternative movie acquisition methods. Younger males continue to be lead users with older segments demonstrating greater awareness than before. Most of those who have downloaded a movie online have not paid for it, a trend that mirrors the early stages of music downloading. More than ninety percent of music downloaders in 2002 acquired their music downloads without paying for them. Recent findings reveal that half of those who have downloaded music off of the Internet have paid for it - an achievement that may indeed pave the way for commercial web-based distribution of other entertainment, such as movies.