TV viewers in Donegal are more fond of streaming movies and shows than any other county in Ireland.
A recent survey shows Donegal people spend an average of 10 hours 18 minutes each week streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime and other online providers.
The county is well above the national average of 6 hours 36 minutes of online content.
This rise in consumption of online content and streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime is linked to young people becoming more reluctant to pay for TV licences.
A survey of over 1,000 Irish TV viewers in July 2017 showed 55% of Irish TV licence holders aged 30 and under are planning to, or considering, ceasing payment of their TV licence.
The research, carried out by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom found that in total, 43% of Irish TV licence holders are planning to or considering ending their TV licence payment due to an increase in online viewing.
The current cost of a TV licence for householders with a TV set is €160.
The research found that one-tenth of adults have already stopped paying their licence after switching to online-only content. This figure rises to 17 per cent for those aged 30 and under.
Paul O’Connell, CEO of Pure Telecom said: “The quality of content produced for online platforms has been steadily rising to the point where it is now at least on par with – and in many cases it outshines – what is offered on traditional television channels.
“People also now take for granted the convenience of on-demand viewing and the ability to watch content on-the-go. Coupled with very high quality content now available online, it is natural that consumers are questioning the need to continue to pay for a TV licence,” he added.
