News Articles

Researcher: Americans increasingly using internet and TV at same time

Media analysis firm Nielsen says that Americans are becoming more and more likely to watch TV and use the internet at the same time. This finding was one among many in the company's Three Screen Report for the fourth quarter of 2009.

The report shows that, contrary to predictions, the increased number of screens available to most Americans has made for more TV watching, not less. “Americans ... spend 35 percent more time using the internet and TV simultaneously than they were a year ago – now spending up to 3.5 hours each month surfing the internet and watching TV at the same time.”

Additionally, Nielsen's study shows, the use of timeshifted TV – i.e., watching shows outside of their normal time slots on digital video recorders – has increased by more than 22 percent over the same time period a year ago.

Experts say that the gradual convergence of TV with internet-capable devices could make for a complicated new media landscape – and one that could provide new opportunities to both businesses and consumers.

Related Articles