How we watch, share, discuss and interact with traditional TV in the UK is evolving rapidly in response to the rise of social media, according to the findings of the Social TV Trends Report.
The research into the habits of over 2,000 British consumers commissioned by social media agency Diffusion and conducted by YouGov, has found that ‘media stacking’ is becoming the norm as we watch TV with growing viewer demand for more real-time interactive online services accessible via the ‘traditional’ TV set.
From browsing the internet, updating social networks to listening to the radio and using a mobile phone the statistics show that over half (58 per cent) of those surveyed are regularly consuming a least one other type of media while watching a TV. This trend for ‘media stacking’ is most prevalent amongst 18-24 year olds with 76 per cent saying they browse the internet whilst watching TV.
Specifically using social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter is particularly common, especially with female TV viewers (40 per cent) compared to 29 per cent for men. Just over one in ten (11 per cent) of adults claim to use a video games console while watching TV content.
Delivering an instant verdict
The increase in the number of people who are media stacking while watching TV is leading to discussions about TV programmes leaving the confines of sitting rooms and being instantly shared with friends and family.
Diffusion’s research shows that 45 per cent of UK adults rising to 86 per cent of 18-24 year olds, have at the same time as watching a TV programme on a TV set, discussed or commented on that programme with other people using digital channels.
For the population as a whole, this is most likely to happen via SMS text message (27 percent), one in five (21 per cent) have used Facebook and 12 per cent have discussed the programme they are watching in real time over instant messenger.
For 18-24 year olds, this trend is even more pronounced, with 56 per cent having commented on what they’re watching via SMS, 55 per cent via Facebook and 40 per cent via instant messenger. One in ten of this age group has also left comments about the shows they are watching on forums or blogs.
An integrated experience
Many of the leading TV manufacturers enabling access to the internet via a TV set in their latest models, with this capability set to become increasingly common feature in people’s living rooms in the years ahead. With this in mind the Social TV Trends Report examined which websites they would like to access by splitting the TV screen at the same time as watching a TV programme.
Google was the most popular site that people would like to access through internet TV services, with 28 per cent stating they would like to access the search engine.
A quarter of those surveyed stated they would like to access online retail sites such as Amazon and ASOS via their TV sets while watching programming.
A similar percentage (26%) would also like to be able to access social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Interestingly, YouTube was also a popular site which those surveyed would like to access, though much more so by men (18 percent) compared to just 8 per cent of women.
For 18-24 year olds, the most popular site they would like to access was Facebook (47 per cent) followed by Google (37 per cent) and 23 per cent selecting YouTube. Just under a third of this age group (31 per cent) stated they would like to access online retail sites via internet on your TV type services.
A shared social experience
Many UK television viewers are looking for a much more interactive television experience combining traditional TV viewing with the ability to share. Internet enabled TV sets show a clear potential for viewers to be able to interact with programming.
A third of all viewers rising to 44 per cent of 18-24s would like the ability to use internet services to vote and see the results of polls on screen, when watching shows such as The X Factor or BBC Question Time.
One in five 18-24 year olds would also like to see on-screen comments about the programme they are watching from other viewers, friends or family. Just over a fifth (21 per cent) of this demographic would also like to use instant messaging services on their TV sets to chat with fellow viewers and friends watching the same TV show.
In a further sign that internet enabled TVs could see the emergence of t-commerce, the research reveals that 27 per cent of viewers as whole, rising to 42 per cent of 18 – 24 year olds would like to see on screen information about the clothes being worn by actors or presenters, or the music being played with a link to where they could actually purchase them.
TV Co-Creation
Social TV also has the potential to spawn new programme formats where viewers can more directly shape the content they are watching. Almost a third of 18-24 year olds questioned would like the ability to vote and change the plot or the direction of the programme they are watching, such a soap opera.
Ivan Ristic, Director at Diffusion commented, “Social media is really making TV social again and creating a deeper and extended shared viewing experience. It’s no longer good enough to discuss the latest episode of Mad Men or Glee the following day at work, people are creating, sharing and reading real-time reactions via social media channels. The old adage that TV is a lean back experience compared to lean forward web surfing no longer hold true, our research shows that increasingly people are doing both simultaneously.
“The challenge for the TV industry is how best to take advantage of this trend to drive word-of-mouth buzz around programming, build a more loyal user base and identify new advertising and revenue opportunities.”
