Tablets Foster TV Consumption According To BBC Study

People use tablets chiefly to view published content or browse the Internet and check e-mails, but according to new research this week, these devices also make people watch more TV.

In collaboration with InSites Consulting, BBC World News and BBC.com/news polled over 3,600 consumers worldwide to study the impact that tablets have on their media preferences. The BBC talked to people who were considered high earners owning a minimum of three devices including TV sets, laptops, tablets and smartphones. About 43% of the tablet owners interviewed said that they now sit in front of the TV more often than they did five years ago, with 83% stating that they spend time with their tablets simultaneously while watching TV.

Consumers were also found to use smartphones and laptops most during the workday, particularly at around 1pm, while TV consumption was high from 5pm onwards, reaching its peak at 7pm when people were 50% more likely to watch TV than use any other device.

The report further showed that TV remains the primary device among audiences, with 42% of news consumption still happening on TV, which is significantly higher than the time people spend with laptops (29%), smartphones (18%) and tablets (10%). In addition, most respondents said that it was natural to see commercials on TV, with 87% of people saying that they expect it. Another 84% of those polled stated that they are not surprised to see ads on online platforms and smartphones and 79% said the same about tablets.