TV viewing time on the rise claims Thinkbox research
The amount of linear TV viewing has increased in the first half of 2011, research by the commercial TV organisation, Thinkbox, has found.
The latest Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (BARB) has said that the amount of time spent watching linear TV has increased with the average TV viewer watching 18 hours and 9 minutes of commercial TV a week.
This is an increase of 48 minutes a week on the same period, of January to July, last year.
Commercial TV was also 64% of audience viewing over the last six months, the research claimed, due to a number of factors, including the impact felt by the popularity of social media.
New technology, including digital recorders and HDTV have also enhanced the TV viewing experience, while the economy and weather have also played their part in driving up audience viewing hours.
Meanwhile, time-shifted viewing made up 9% of the UK’s TV consumption during the first half of 2011, up from 7.1% during the same time in 2010.
As a result of this increase in viewing, the number of TV adverts being viewed has also increased by 4.7% on the previous year, with the average viewer watching 47 adverts a day.
Lindsey Clay, Thinkbox’s managing director, commented: “We’ve been saying for a while that linear TV viewing couldn’t keep breaking records forever and that it had to stabilise at some point. It appears that this is now happening – although, within this, commercial TV is still growing a little, which is great news for advertisers and a testament to the choice and quality it offers. On-demand TV is expanding total TV by adding to this stable linear base.
“What is clear is that every new technology that joins TV – from connected TV sets to social media – is making it even more enjoyable for viewers and even more effective for advertisers.”