James Delahunty
27 Nov 2007 13:25
Japan's HDTV innovations in the 1980's and the 1990's have helped the country to tout the higher number of HDTV viewers in the world. According to research firm, SNL Kagan, the number of HDTV viewers in the world continues to increase at a healthy rate, helped by falling prices for the technology. Its new study, "Global High Definition Television Trends", named Japan as the world leader in HDTV viewsership currently.
Japanese broadcasters offer low-cost HDTV services to consumers, while some offer HDTV content completely free, helping to drive demand. The United States sits in second placer currently but is predicted to overtake Japan by the end of 2008, when the number of HDTV-households in the U.S. jumps from 6 million (currently) to the expected 12 million.
HDTV markets in Canada, France and the United States have become better suited to pay-HDTV content, and in the United States, cable and satellite broadcast services are offering a growing number of HDTV channels to subscribers. SNL Kagan estimates that the HDTV service provider market will turn revenues of $1 billion in 2007 and will grow to $12 billion by 2016.
Source:
HDTV News