As we move into the holiday shopping season, a new study concludes that consumers are still confused with HDTV choices, and their enthusiasm is dropping. A Magid study found only 47 percent of people buying a HD set this last year said they’re looking forward to watching TV shows or games in high definition, down from 63 percent two years ago. And that’s with prices 25 percent cheaper than last year. Why? Some people don’t know what HDTV is — 30 percent of HD set owners don’t get HDTV — or they refuse to pay the additional money for the cable or satellite service. Plus, some people are just buying the sets because they look stylish. Not to mention, the technology is downright confusing and the channels are hard to find. And finally, the Magid study found an increasing number of people are buying HD sets for video games (that’s why I bought mine) or for DVDs. In a nutshell, broadcasters “have not done a good job” of promoting their HD television offerings, said Maryann Baldwin, director of Magid Media Futures. Not just promoting, but explaining.
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