A joint poll by America Online and the Associated Press reports that 80% of their respondents say that their TV viewing habits remain unchanged despite having consumed online videos. It can be inferred, therefore, that Web distribution of network material can actually become a form of free advertising.
RESARCH QUESTIONS and HYPOTHESES
The review of the literature and the study framework lead to the following research questions: Does downloading or online viewing of shows play a role in the TV viewing habits of University students? What are the motivations that drive these students who prefer online downloading and viewing over watching shows aired in cable TV?
It is likewise the review of the related studies and the theoretical framework that pointed out the most probable hypotheses for this study: That one, Online downloading and viewing of shows has significantly affected TV-viewing behavior of students (e.g. In terms of number of hours spent in watching TV vs. hours spent online). The next hypothesis is that as times change and as technology continuously evolves and shapes our everyday lives, so are our needs, preferences and motivations in media consumption. The needs that peers our age seek to fulfill by watching TV ten years ago could be vastly different from our perceived needs now.
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