The fourth edition of Deloitte’s “State of the Media Democracy” report reveals Internet users are more in love with their televisions than ever—and ready for the coming convergence of TV and online.
In 2009, 65% of Internet users wanted to connect their TV to the Internet, a 7-percentage-point increase over 2008. Web users across all generations increasingly wanted to watch online content, as well as content on their PC, on traditional television screens. Even among matures, nearly one-half were ready for Internet-enabled TV sets.
Live TV remained the most popular way for respondents to watch their favorite shows, though 4% reported watching on free online sites such as Hulu and TV.com, and 3% watched online on the TV show’s Website.
Overall, Internet users were watching significantly more TV in 2009 than the year before, at nearly 18 hours per week. Millennials increased their television viewing the most, from 10.5 hours weekly last year to 15 hours in 2009.
“Television content continues to fascinate Americans,” said Ed Moran, Deloitte director of insights and innovation, in a statement. “The recession has increased demand for in-home entertainment, with consumers choosing to invest in the enhancement of their TV experience. This dynamic, combined with new flat panel models that access content from the Internet, will further blur the lines between TV and the Internet.”
Television also held sway as the advertising medium with the most impact on Internet users’ buying decisions, with its power about equal across generations. The influence of online ads was significantly smaller, but varied more by age.
“This trend is only beginning to gather steam,” said eMarketer senior analyst Lisa E. Phillips. “By 2013, more than one-third of all TV sets sold in the US will be Internet-enabled. Several models are already on the market, and online publishers are racing to develop TV widgets to lure consumers to their streaming content.”
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Check out today’s other article, “Social Network Spending Shifts.”