TV Use Remains Strong in Australian Multi-Screen Homes

SYDNEY/NEW YORK: Amid the rapid growth of multi-screen homes, Australians continue to spend the majority of their screen time with the traditional TV set, according to the latest Australian Multi-Screen Report.

The report finds that 27 percent of Australian homes now have four screens—TV, computer, smartphone and tablet—a 16-percent rise from a year ago. Even with all this new technology, overall use of the in-home TV set has remained constant over the last three years.

Australians watched an average of 92 hours and 39 minutes (92:39) of TV per month in the first quarter of 2013. Of this, 93 percent of viewing is live, and catch-up viewing within seven days of broadcast is accounting for 6:48.

This strong overall use of the TV screen also reflects the take-up of Internet-connected TVs, which are now in 21 percent of homes (up from the 15 percent of homes reported just a year ago). This also reflects the increasing variety of devices that can be attached to the main TV set, including game consoles, OTT services and PVRs, now in 53 percent of homes (and 13 percent have two or more PVRs).

An estimated 31 percent of homes now have tablets, which is more than double what was reported in Q1 2012. With Australians 16+, the average is 50 minutes per month spent using tablets to watch online video content.

This has contributed to the increase in media "multi-tasking" with more Australians over the age of 16 using more than one screen at a time than ever. Of this group, 74 percent say they have ever multi-tasked, and 79 percent report doing so at least once a week.

Deborah Wright, regional TAM chairperson, said: “The latest Multi-Screen Report shows TV at the center of an increasingly connected Australian household.

“While people watch around three hours of television a day on the traditional TV set, they are also embracing other devices to suit the occasion and enhance their viewing experience.

“This creates rich opportunities for media owners, content producers and marketers to engage audiences across multiple platforms and keep viewers close to the content.

“Regional TAM, OzTAM and Nielsen will continue to monitor evolving audience behavior to give the industry better insight into how consumers are using new devices.”