News

Playback TV viewing on the rise as live TV hours drop in third quarter

Source: Australian multi-screen report

Source: Australian multi-screen report

The average time per month people spent watching broadcast TV dropped in the third quarter of the year according to the latest Australian Multi-Screen Report, down from down from 97 hours and 3 minutes in Q2 and 99 hours and 9 minutes at the end of 2012. Q3 in 2012 was 95 hours and 51 minutes.

The report, from OzTAM, Regional TAM and Nielsen says the vast majority of content is still watched live, with just 8.4 per cent of viewing on playback devices such as a DVR within seven days of the original broadcast, although that figure is up by 58 minutes per month year-on-year. Live viewing was up by nine minutes year-on-year, according to the report.

OzTAM CEO Doug Peiffer said: “For all the changes and new options viewers have, television is still the centrepiece. Live TV viewing is level year-on-year, playback is up by nearly an hour, and people are spending more time with their television sets overall, because TVs are more versatile than ever.

“On top of their TV viewing time, Australians increasingly use their televisions to play games, watch DVDs or internet-delivered video, browse the internet, or playback TV content they’ve recorded beyond seven days from original broadcast. Such activities underscore the strength of TV and reinforce its position as the household main screen.”

Viewing on mobile devices remains small compared to viewing on traditional TV sets, reflecting a preference to watch content on bigger screens. Viewing on mobile devices was up on last year, with viewers watching online videos for an average of seven and a half hours a month, compared to five hours and 18 minutes a month in Q3 of 2013.

Nielsen’s senior vice president, cross platform audience measurement, Erica Boyd said: “As people increase their overall time consuming content across screens, marketers have more opportunities to seamlessly connect with people in a way that is respectful of their time, relevant and interesting.”

Multi-Screen Report

Source: Australian Multi-Screen Report

This relates to the increase of homes with tablets, with 45 per cent of homes having a tablet up from 42 per cent in Q2 in 2014 and up from 37 per cent a year ago.

A special study on homes with internet-connected mobile devices revealed viewers are more likely to access TV networks’ catch-up platforms on tablets than on smartphones with 20 per cent of tablet users aged 14 and over claim to have visited a catch-up TV website, with 15 person having used a catch-up TV app, on their tablets over the course of a month.

Just 8 per cent of smartphone users aged 14 and over claimed to have visited a catch-up TV website, with only 5 per cent having used a catch-up TV, on their smartphones over the course of a month.

Miranda Ward

ADVERTISEMENT

Get the latest media and marketing industry news (and views) direct to your inbox.

Sign up to the free Mumbrella newsletter now.

 

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up to our free daily update to get the latest in media and marketing.