Big screen TVs boost viewing time: report
February 22nd, 2012
The link between bigger screens and increased viewing time has been confirmed in a new study measuring Australian viewing habits.
The Nielsen report released this week also reveals Australians are watching an extra six and a half hours of conventional TV a month compared to the same period last year. This raises the monthly viewing time to 113 hours and 38 minutes.
“There is a strong and positive relationship between screen size and propensity to view, with people demonstrating a preference to watch content on the largest screen available,” states the report.
It should also come as no surprise that TVs grace 99 per cent of Australian households. The overall monthly TV reach (people watching TV) has increased by 1 per cent in the last year.
Bigger TV screens are not the only thing to encourage viewing time, personal video recorders (PVRs) are also providing more flexibility and access to programmes. The average monthly time spent viewing playback (recorded) television content has jumped 60 per cent (4 hours and 31 minutes) to 12 hours per month between 2010 and 2011. Almost half of Aussie households have access to PVRs.
Digital ready TVs have also ensured that viewing on traditional TV sets is “strong and growing”.
According to the report, 95 per cent of all homes have at least one digital TV, up from 90 per cent the same time 2011 and 70 per cent of homes receive digital content on every TV set in the home, up from 55 per cent for the same period last year.
Meanwhile, internet enabled devices such as tablets, PCs and smartphones are also driving online video content, a trend found elsewhere overseas.
How much time are Australians glued to screens?
- 3 hours 27 minutes per month on PCs
- 1 hour 20 minutes per month on mobiles (people aged 14+)
- 113 hours 38 minutes per month on a traditional TV
