Prime time weekday TV has a significantly higher reach than many other forms of electronic entertainment among US adults age 18-49, according to a study released in October 2011 by The Nielsen Company. Results from “Cross-Platform is the New Norm” indicate that during May 2011, TV had a higher reach in this segment than online, DVD or DVR playback, and video games between 6 PM and 7 AM, with a notable spike between 8 PM and midnight.
TV had its highest reach among adults 18-49 at 10 PM, reaching roughly 45% of the segment. In comparison, online had the next-highest reach at only 15%. Online slightly beats TV between 8 AM and 4 PM, peaking at 3 PM with close to 20% reach. DVR playback has a slight spike of close to 10% reach at 10%, while DVD playback and video games both hover in the low single digits through the day.
TV More Dominant on Weekend
The reach of TV among 18-to-49-year-olds is even more pronounced compared to other forms of electronic entertainment during the weekend. Weekend TV reach in this age group also peaks at 10 PM at close to 45%. However, TV has a higher reach than any other form of entertainment covered in the study, with online obtaining a high reach point of near 15% at 9 PM (TV reach is about 40% at this hour).
DVR playback has a similar spike in reach at 10 PM as it does during the weekday, while DVD playback and video games also have performance mirroring that during the week.
DVR Users More Likely to Concurrently Use Social Media
Close to 40% of DVR users age 18-49 concurrently use social media, compared to a little more than 30% of live TV users. DVR users are also slightly more likely than live TV users to concurrently use print (both rates are a little higher than 20%) and traditional media online (10% to slightly less than 10%).
However, live TV users are about twice as likely to concurrently use mobile talk and text (a little more than 20% compared to 10% for each). They also have higher concurrent usage rates for internet, email, mobile app/web, and radio.
TV Viewing Coexists with Daily Life
Study data shows TV viewing is well integrated into consumers’ daily lives. Almost all TV viewers at 8 AM are also doing something else, as are more than 80% at noon and and 70% during prime time.
TV Viewing Popular
Despite the rise of the internet and other competing entertainment technologies, TV remains extremely popular with the American public, according to other study results indicating that during Q2 2011, adults 18 and up were watching 40 more minutes of TV a week (35 hours and 37 minutes) than in Q2 2010 (34 hours and 58 minutes).
Among younger adults, the average amount of weekly TV viewing has slightly declined in the past year (by 23 minutes for adults 18-24 and a more significant 59 minutes for those 25-34). However, average time watching TV has risen for all age brackets 35 and up, especially among adults 65 and older (a two-hour jump).
