What makes people watch online TV clips? An empirical investigation of survey data and viewing logs

With the decline in traditional television (TV) viewership, broadcasters are distributing TV clips online, i.e., brief, edited versions of full-length TV shows, as an alternative revenue source. Yet, there are challenges in gaining viewership of this new format, with a lack of understanding and research on what drives such viewing behavior. To fill this gap, this study draws on the theory of consumption values to develop a model explaining the decision factors that can predict online TV clip viewing behavior. We tested the model through a quantitative analysis of survey and archival (viewing logs) data from 398 viewers from a major provider of TV clips. The results indicate that, in addition to convenience and enjoyment, fandom and social viewing are unique factors predicting watching frequency and mediated by the continuance intention to watch online TV clips. Our study contributes to our understanding of the use of this new digital content format by integrating and extending concepts from the theory of consumption values. It also offers insights into how digital content providers can tap online TV clips as a revenue source.