VOD Very Pupular with Verizon’s FiOS Users
Busy parents are using video on demand for safe, affordable, and convenient kids’ entertainment. It seems that the buzz for VOD began over a decade ago and yet, it’s only now that people are seriously turning to it as a viable alternative to traditional forms of accessing media.
Earlier this month, Verizon announced how their customers are increasingly embracing interactive television to find family-friendly entertainment they can enjoy whenever their hectic schedules allow. This home-entertainment trend is reflected in the selections that Verizon FiOS TV subscribers are making from the thousands of titles in the service’s free video-on-demand library. Not surprising that in February, the most popular titles were family fare.
“In February, we saw the continuation of a strong trend of families taking advantage of our free video-on-demand service to access kid-friendly entertainment,” said Shawn Strickland, Verizon vice president of video solutions. “Because we’re delivering FiOS TV over the nation’s most advanced fiber-optic network, straight to customer’s doors, families are now able to access interactive video services that help them save time and money, and enjoy unparalleled picture quality and programming choices for all their TV viewing.”
In February, the most-watched free FiOS TV video-on-demand titles were:
1. The Disney Channel’s “Wizards of Waverly Place, Season 1: Episode 10: Potion Commotion”
2. The Disney Channel’s “Hannah Montana, Season 2: Episode 1: Cuffs Will Keep Us Together”
3. The Disney Channel’s “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Season 3: Episode 19: Foiled Again”
4. Nickelodeon’s “Backyardigans: Quest for the Flying Rock”
5. Nickelodeon’s “Dora the Explorer: School Pet”
6. Nickelodeon’s “Fairly OddParents: Baby Face”
7. The Disney Channel’s “Hannah Montana, Season 2: Episode 20: Bye Bye Ball”
8. Nickelodeon’s “Dora the Explorer: Leon, The Circus Lion”
9. The Disney Channel’s “Minutemen”
10. Nickelodeon’s “Diego: Chito and Rita Spectacled Bears”
Strickland said that three key factors are driving family home-entertainment trends: affordability, safety and convenience. “Families want to break away from video store membership dues, late fees and the hassles of squeezing in those trips to the rental store to pick up and return DVDs,” he said. “They want entertainment that is instantly available, fits their budget and that they can trust to be family-friendly. FiOS TV’s video on demand fits the bill.”
Customers access video on demand simply by pressing the “VOD” or “On Demand” button on their remote control, by using a menu on FiOS TV’s interactive media guide, or selecting the VOD channel.
Verizon’s collection of on-demand programming for children and families is one of the largest in the industry and includes programming from Discovery Kids, Nickelodeon, PBS Kids Sprout and others. FiOS TV’s industry-leading video-on-demand family programming also includes free content from the Disney Channel. In addition, FiOS offers parental controls that let parents decide what’s off-limits for their kids.
In addition to family fare, Verizon offers its FiOS TV subscribers more than 10,000 video-on-demand titles each month, 60 percent of which are free. Also, subscribers to HBO, Cinemax or FiOS TV’s Movie Package, which includes Showtime, Starz, the Movie Channel and Encore, automatically have on-demand access to past and present episodes of original programming and movie releases.
