PARIS: French consumers are far more likely to watch streaming video or catch-up TV than video on demand (VOD), a new survey has revealed.

Research firm GFK carried out an online poll of 2,360 people aged 10-65 years for its latest REC + study on recreation and cultural habits in France, and found that 57% of its panel watched streaming video during the preceding week. A similar proportion had turned to catch-up TV, but just 34% had used VOD services.

Movies and TV shows were the most-downloaded items, and were accessed almost exclusively using a computer.

The French were also keen on music, listening for an average of 11 hours a week, with over half of this figure – six hours – attributable to radio or television; this was a five point increase on the previous year.

Time spent listening to CDs was down to 2 hours 20 minutes, while downloaded music took up 1 hour 26 minutes and streamed music claimed 1 hour 13 minutes. And while half of the survey downloaded music, two-thirds said they only did so legally.

GfK said the proportion of internet users illegally downloading music had changed little over recent years: 16% in 2008, 17% in 2010, 14% in 2012 and 15% in 2013.

Far fewer were illegally downloading digital books. Some 9% claimed to only do this, but the vast majority, 84%, got their reading material through legal channels.

The annual budget for books, however, was falling, and stood at €81.20 for the year to September 2013, compared with €83.20 and €94.60 in the preceding two years respectively.

The French proved to be keen gamers, with eight out of ten playing at least once in the past year. Computers continued to be the most popular device for this activity, being used by 66% of respondents. Some 55% said they used a games console, while tablets (36%) and smartphones (45%) were also popular.

Data sourced from AFP; additional content by Warc staff