Aussies embracing connected home
June 28, 2013
The latest Australian Multi-Screen Report reveals an increasingly connected Australian home, with 27 per cent now having access to four screens: television, computer, smartphone an tablet (16 per cent a year ago).
The report, which covers the first quarter of calendar 2013, shows media consumption patterns are evolving as households add new technologies. Overall television use is strong Amid the proliferation of new technologies, overall use of the main household TV set has been constant over the past three years, demonstrating people’s voracious appetite for television and other video content.
Television is in 99 per cent of homes, and Australians continue to spend the majority of their screen time with the in-home TV set. People watched an average 92 hours and 39 minutes (92:39) of TV per month in the quarter. 93 per cent of viewing is Live, with Playback viewing within seven days of broadcast accounting for 6:48. Playback viewing and Other Screen Usage (which includes using the TV for gaming, online activities, and Playback beyond seven days after broadcast) continue to rise. Strong overall use of the TV screen also reflects the take-up of Internet connected TVs, now in 21 per cent of homes (15 per cent in Q1 2012) and increasing variety of devices attached to the main TV set, such as games consoles, ‘over-the-top’ television services, and PVRs – now in 53 per cent of homes, with 13 per cent having two or more PVRs.
As they embrace new screen technologies, people use them to complement their TV viewing. While the TV set is used mostly to watch Live TV, new devices are used for many purposes. The amount of time spent watching TV content and other video on connected devices depends on both device penetration levels and characteristics, with people of all age groups generally preferring to watch video on the largest available screen. An estimated 31 per cent of homes now have tablets – more than double the 15 per cent estimated in Q1 2012. Across the online population aged 16 and over, people claim to spend an average 50 minutes per month using tablets to watch any online video, which can include both broadcast TV and non-broadcast content. While penetration of devices affects the overall incidence of viewing across screens in the broader population, audiences seem to prefer certain screens over others. For example, of people using each device, tablet users spend more time watching online video than smartphone users do. As tablet penetration increases, this suggests overall viewing on these screens will surpass viewing on smartphones.
The percentage of homes with tablets has more than doubled in the past year, from 15 per cent in Q1 2012 to 31 per cent now. 61 per cent of Australians aged 16+ have smartphones (48 per cent a year ago). The steady take-up of connected devices, and the fact people keep them close by most of the time, has seen an increase in media ‘multi-tasking’ – that is, using more than one screen at the same time – among Australians aged 16 and over. 74 per cent of online Australians aged 16+ say they ever multi-task – up from about 60 per cent in 2011. 79 per cent of that group say they do so at least once a week; 32 per cent say they do so at least once daily; and 54 per cent claim to do so almost every day.
Deborah Wright, Regional TAM chairperson, said: “The latest Multi-Screen Report shows TV at the centre of an increasingly connected Australian household. While people watch around three hours of television a day on the traditional TV set, they are also embracing other devices to suit the occasion and enhance their viewing experience. This creates rich opportunities for media owners, content producers and marketers to engage audiences across multiple platforms and keep viewers close to the content. “
Key findings from the report include
• More than 91 per cent of all viewing is to the traditional television set, on average 92 hours and 39 minutes (92:39) per month.
• 93 per cent of all TV viewing is live, with playback accounting for 7 per cent (6:48 per month).
• 53 per cent of homes have PVRs, and 13 per cent of homes have two or more PVRs.
• Internet-connected TVs are in 21 per cent of homes (15 per cent in Q1 2012).
• 31 per cent of homes have tablets (15 per cent in Q1 2012). Across the online population aged 16+, people spend an average 50 minutes per month using tablets to watch any online video, which can include both broadcast TV and non-broadcast content.
• 61 per cent of Australians aged 16+ own a smartphone (48 per cent in Q1 2012) and spend on average 1:20 per month viewing any video on these devices (1:20 a year ago).
• 98 per cent of homes have converted to digital terrestrial television (DTT), with 84 per cent having converted every working set in the home to DTT.
• 11.4 million Australians watch some video (both television broadcast and nonbroadcast content) online via a PC or laptop each month: an average of 6:43 per month. Such viewing is highest among people aged 18-24 (13:16).
• Household internet penetration is stable at 80 per cent.
• Australians spend on average 51:47 per month using the internet on a PC.
• 74 per cent of online Australians aged 16+ say they ever multi-task (simultaneously watch TV and use the internet). Of that group, 79 per cent claim to at least once a week (60 per cent in 2011). 32 per cent do so at least once daily, and 54 per cent say they do so almost every day.
• Viewing of any video via extended screens (PC, smartphone and tablet) accounts for 9 per cent of the video consumption on traditional TV sets: o 6:43 per month on PCs (All People) o 1:20 per month on smartphones (People 16+) o 0:50 per month on tablets (People 16+) o 92:39 per month on traditional TV set (All People)