Distracted TV Viewers.

The invention of the DVR system presented a hurdle for television advertisers, as they worried their valued audience would fast-forward through their messages. While those concerns may have merit, a recent Adweek/Harris Poll shows that regardless of the ability to use a DVR system, Americans may not be giving their undivided attention to their TV screens. According to the recent survey, while watching TV most Americans also surf the Internet (56%) and many do other activities like read a book, magazine or newspaper (44%), go on a social networking site (40%) or text on their mobile phone (37%).

These are some of the findings of a recent Adweek/ Harris Poll survey of 2,309 U.S. adults surveyed online between May 24 and 26, 2011 by Harris Interactive.

Additional findings include:

– Three in ten say they shop online while watching TV (29%);

– Few say they read a book on an eReader device while watching TV (7%) although over two in five admit to reading a traditional book, magazine or newspaper (44%) while watching TV;

– Similarly small numbers surf the Internet on a tablet computer while watching TV although a majority do so on a regular computer (56%) and 18% do so on their mobile phone;

– Three in ten Americans say they do something else while watching TV (30%) and only 14% say they do not do any other activity while they watch TV.

Looking at how various groups experience television, younger adults are more likely than those older to surf the Internet on a computer or mobile phone, go on a social networking site, text on their mobile phone and shop online. While watching TV older adults are slightly more likely than those younger to read a book, magazine or newspaper, and much more likely to do nothing else.

Women are more likely than men to do each of the activities listed while watching TV, with the exception of surfing the Internet on a mobile phone (20% vs. 16%) or on a tablet computer (8% vs. 6%) which men do at slightly higher rates. Those who have graduated from college are also more likely than those who have not attended any college to do each of the activities listed while watching TV.

Almost all Americans watch TV–only 3% say they do not–yet it’s unclear how engaged all of these television viewers really are. The results of this poll are interesting, and may speak to various components of contemporary American life. For example, it’s possible that because Americans have little free time, they opt to do several leisure activities at once, which some might argue could actually induce rather than relieve stress. Another thought is that because Americans are constantly bombarded by content (on the Internet, through social media, etc) that one source of information and entertainment (i.e. watching a program on TV) leaves today’s viewers under-stimulated and craving more. Either way, it is interesting to contemplate; one might only wish we might had begun this research years ago, so that we could look at a trend.

To view chart CLICK above on ‘More Images’.

For more information at http://www.harrisinteractive.com/>