According to Nielsen reports, Americans upped their media usage and multitasking during the fourth quarter of 2009.
During the last quarter of 2009, the use of Internet while watching TV went up 35 percent from the previous quarter. Almost 60 percent of TV viewers are using the Internet at least once a month while watching TV simultaneously.
“The rise in simultaneous use of the web and TV gives the viewer a unique on-screen and off-screen relationship with TV programming,” said Nielsen Company media product leader Matt O’Grady.
“The initial fear was that Internet and mobile video and entertainment would slowly cannibalize traditional TV viewing, but the steady trend of increased TV viewership alongside expanded simultaneous usage argues something quite different.”
Also up, is online video viewing, which is up 16 percent from last year. Nielsen stated that 44 percent of all online video that’s currently being viewed in the workplace. Americans are watching network programs online when they miss a particular episode when they don’t have a TV available. Watching videos on the Internet is another form of DVR for those who don’t have that option.
“It seems that, for the foreseeable future at least, America’s love affair with the TV will continue unabashed,” said O’Grady.
“We seem to have an almost insatiable appetite for media, with online and mobile programming only adding to it.”