TORONTO – Canadian adults overwhelmingly prefer to watch their favourite shows on a television screen, rather than on a smart phone, tablet or computer, according to recent research from the Television Bureau of Canada (TVB).
The study, Television Viewing Preferences & Online Synergy 2011, revealed that 93.5% of respondents aged 18-49 chose television as their screen of choice for watching programs, followed by 4.4% on a computer screen, and 0.1% on a mobile device. In addition, 70% of the same demographic said that watching video content on a computer or mobile device could not replace viewing on a television set.
“This latest research demonstrates the power of television as the medium of choice for consuming video content developed for television as the first screen”, said TVB president and CEO Theresa Treutler, in the report’s press release. “This bodes well for advertisers that maintain television as a core piece of their advertising spend.”
Other highlights from the research include:
– 52% of respondents watch TV and browse the web simultaneously, and 57% of them go on-line to research a product or service seen in a TV commercial;
– When using a PVR, 51% of viewers between 18 – 49 stop to watch interesting commercials, while 65% of respondents aged 18 – 34 stopped to watch interesting ads. Adults who fast forward through commercials still pick up on strong brands and creative, as 72% recognize brands in ads they’re trying to skip;
– Canadian adults 18+ spend an average of 29.4 hours per week with the television compared to 10.1 hours with the Internet.
