Digital TV News

Is technology enhancing or reducing your TV viewing?

Monday 12 December, 2011

By Kelvin Goodson

We watch more television than our European neighbours, but use social media and mobile technology to add to the experience.

Britain spends more time every week staring at the goggle box than any of its continental counterparts.

However, we are far from a nation of dormant couch potatoes. Many of us use social media and mobile technology to enhance our TV viewing, showing that technology compliments television rather than competes with it.

According to a study commissioned by mobile manufacturer Motorola Mobility, Brits watch a combined weekly average of 14 hours of television - joint second in the world with Japan, one behind the US on 15 hours.

While we watch more television than most of our neighbours, almost a third of us watch some form of television or video - either streamed live or on-demand - via a mobile device, with the laptop proving the most popular device for doing this.

Tom Satchwell, marketing director of home business at Motorola Mobility, said: "With the ubiquity of laptop computers and smartphones and the emergence of tablets the humble television has its work cut out trying to remain top dog for eyeballs in the home.”

The study, which looked at the video consumption habits of 9,000 people across 16 countries, also found that almost two-thirds of us use the internet or a social network to discuss TV while we are watching it.

Satchwell added: “Many people are merging their surfing and viewing habits, fusing social media with viewing and creating new possibilities for programme makers and advertisers to interact with them.”

However, despite Motorola’s belief that modern technology is enhancing TV viewing rather than reducing it, certain habits have been eroded by the digital age.

According to recent research from online back-up service Mozy, recording things using VHS, buying TV listings and watching programmes at the time they are shown are three TV-related things we don’t do anymore due to our reliance on technology.

Photo by blakespot