Home > Spectrum > Digital Dividend Review > DDR documents > Digital Dividend Review Research 07

Introduction

Market research conducted in June 2006 was an input to our consultation on the Digital Dividend Review (DDR), published on 19 December 2006. This research helped to develop our understanding of consumer and citizen attitudes to potential uses of the digital dividend, from the perspective of value to both individuals and society. The report of this research was published alongside our proposals and is available at:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/ddr/mktresearch/.

Some stakeholders raised concerns with the 2006 research, detailed in the document linked to below. We listened carefully to the comments by stakeholders when planning further market research to be conducted in 2007. As part of the research design process we held a seminar on 22 May 2007 to share our proposals with stakeholders. The presentation slides shown at this event are available at:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radiocomms/ddr/events.

Stakeholder comments and suggestions at, and following, the seminar helped us to develop our approach.

Methodology

The research conducted in 2007 consisted of both quantitative and qualitative research.

The research was designed to assess consumer and citizen responses to six potential services that could use the digital dividend:

• extra standard-definition channels on Freeview;
• local TV on Freeview;
• High-definition (HD) channels on Freeview;
• wireless home networks;
• improved mobile phone and mobile broadband services ; and
• mobile television

The quantitative research was a face-to-face survey of 1,999 UK citizens conducted for Ofcom by independent market research agency, Ipsos MORI.

We were interested in the opinions of a number of small population sub-groups, such as local TV viewers and HDTV subscribers. Since these groups represent only small proportions of the UK population, a standard UK survey sample would not include robust samples amongst these groups. To address this, additional booster interviews were conducted so that a robust measure of opinion could be obtained from these small, but important groups.

Respondents in the quantitative research took part in a 25-minute structured face-to-face interview . The six service options researched were explained before attitudinal and behavioural questions were asked about each of them. Finally, respondents were asked to rank and rate the services’ importance in terms of their own personal preference and from the point of view of what they felt best for UK society as a whole.

The qualitative research consisted of five deliberative workshops among UK citizens from London, the South East, Manchester and Glasgow. Participants were recruited to be representative of the UK in terms of age, gender and social group. We also ensured representation from rural areas by recruiting respondents to travel from different areas to the workshop venues. The groups were made up of participants with a mix of current technology ownership and in Manchester we ensured participation from viewers of the local TV service, Channel M. The workshops were conducted for Ofcom by independent market research agency, Opinion Leader Research.

The workshops lasted a full day and each had over 20 participants. During the course of the day, participants were shown demonstrations of the services, and took part in detailed group discussions on each of the services, considering how they could be valuable to consumers and to UK society.

Workshop participants were asked to rank the six services in order of importance to themselves as consumers and to UK society as a whole. This exercise was conducted four times in each group, at different points in the day.

Full details of the methodology are shown in Section 5.

Input to the DDR

The market research is one of five sources of evidence used in the DDR, alongside technical research, evidence submitted by stakeholders in their consultation responses, economic modelling, and secondary sources – we commissioned academic research on social value and since the consultation we have carried out a review of similar literature in this field.

There are, of course, limitations involved in any research, which we recognise. Ofcom considers the research methodologies adopted to be appropriate and as robust as reasonably possible, given these limitations. The specific limitations we have identified are discussed in Section 5.

Ofcom will publish a statement on its approach to awarding the digital divided by the end of the year.

• Executive Summary [pdf]
• Qualitative Research [pdf]
• Quantitative Research [pdf]

Back to top