Some 51% of TV viewers multitask every time or almost every time they watch TV, up from just over one-third (36%) last year, according to a new report from TiVo in its second annual study of multitasking and social TV.
Still, viewers are keeping the TV screen the center of their attention: an estimated 47% of their TV time is spent with their primary focus on the TV show even while multitasking, up from 39% in 2013.
Interestingly, the estimated amount of TV time spent multitasking with the focus on something else has stayed flat at 26%.
Instead, there has been a decline in the estimated amount of TV time spent only watching TV (without multitasking), from 35% to 27%.
In other words, while more time is being spent multitasking, all of that time is being spent with the TV as the primary focus.
While that may be the case, TV is not extending its reach to viewers’ multitasking activities.
Only 5% of respondents — who were required to watch at least 7 hours of TV per week on any device — reported engaging in TV-related multitasking every time or almost every time they watch TV.
That compares that with 50% who never or almost never engage in TV-elated activities.
Instead, the most common activities include browsing the internet (74%), reading or sending email (73%) and text messaging (71%).
“Even given the proliferation of multitasking, viewers remain primarily focused on the television shows they are watching,” said TiVo Chief Research Officer Jonathan Steuer. “To paraphrase the Bard, the program’s the thing!”
Online engagement with favorite programs has become mundane: 61% of respondents report searching the Internet for information about the programs they watch and 47% have “liked” a show’s official Facebook page.
However, these activities do not usually occur while watching the program.
The TiVo results widely support conclusions from a Deloitte report released earlier this year, in which a greater bulk of respondents reported frequently multitasking while watching TV, with web browsing, emailing and texting the top activities.
However, they run contrary to a report last year from the Multimedia Research Group which had seen TV multitasking trending towards related activities.
Multitasking raises questions about TV advertising effectiveness, particularly as 56% of the TiVo surgery respondents say they multitask every time or almost every time during commercial breaks.
Though to be fair, the most poplar reported activities during a commercial break are going to the bathroom (85%), getting a drink or snack (78%) and talking to people in the house (50%) — not considered “multitasking”.
Addition key findings:
94% of respondents reported that they have multitasked while watching TV;
Smartphones (78%) and laptops (72%) emerge as the top devices used while watching TV;
Almost 6 in 10 respondents report using another device every time or almost every time they watch TV;
During commercial breaks, 56% of respondents report multitasking every time or almost every time;
More than 6 in 10 have noticed Twitter hashtags during TV shows, but this group was more apt to dislike (53%) than appreciate (12%) seeing them;
Only about 1 in 5 say they’ve ever posted on social media about the shows they watch; and
Of those who do post to social media about their TV faves, the majority (71%) selected Facebook as the site they most commonly post about TV, Twitter came in a distant second with 24%.