TV Remains Dominant in Time Spent, Engagement

NEW YORK: TVB, which represents the interests of American commercial broadcasters, has released a new study that indicates that television is still the most dominant medium when it comes to time spent and consumer engagement, with adults spending 5.2 hours watching television per day as compared with 3 hours spent on the Internet.

Time spent with television varied by demo, peaking at 6.38 hours for those 65-plus, followed by 5.2 hours for 35 to 54, 4.75 hours for 25 to 49, 4.69 hours for 25 to 54 and 4.62 hours for 18 to 39. For the key 18 to 34 demo, it was 4.46 hours. For 13 to 17, however, it was just 3.14 hours, only slightly higher than the 2.3 hours spent on the Internet.

The 2012 Media Comparisons Study, conducted by Knowledge Networks, also found that television reaches 88 percent of adults 18-plus per day. For every major adult demographic, including 18 to 34, television’s reach topped 80 percent. For the 13 to 17 demo, however, television’s reach is 76.6 percent, on par with the Internet reach of 76.3 percent.

Another key finding is that 37.2 percent of those 18-plus listed television as the most influential medium in making purchasing decisions. That share was relatively consistent among all demos, reaching 40.8 percent for 18 to 34. The study also notes that 69.4 percent of adults have HDTV sets, of which 37 percent are Internet capable.

“The power of television remains undeniable, as this updated study shows that television remains the central entertainment and information hub for consumers," commented Steve Lanzano, the president of the TVB. "While alternative digital platforms have grown as well, television continues to dominate all other media in both time spent and consumer engagement. Perhaps most importantly for advertisers and marketers, qualified research found that consumers cited television as the most influential advertising medium when making a purchase decision.”

He continued, “The study also clearly confirms again that broadcast television is the primary source of news for adults with local broadcast stations out-delivering cable by nearly 50 percent. Furthermore, local broadcast station websites are the top online choice among consumers for local news and event information, presenting advertisers a cost-effective opportunity to reach their key markets across multiple platforms. It’s evident from these findings that TV remains the mainstay media among consumers and that local broadcasters are effectively bringing their content to users through their online and mobile initiatives.”