TV talk becomes taboo
'Who shot JR?', 'Who Shot Phil?’, ‘Did you see 'Big Brother last night?' Research released today reveals that conversations like these may be a thing of the past.
A survey commissioned by Rovi Corporation to better understand TV consumption in the UK has found that viewers have shifted their TV watching behavior, based on the introduction of entertainment technologies, such as on demand TV or ‘series record TV’, resulting in the emergence of a new TV culture.
The survey results report that nearly 70 per cent of people will not discuss a programme they have seen, or ask first before starting to talk with friends or colleagues for fear of spoiling a TV surprise. Half of respondents would object if someone started to talk about a programme they hadn’t yet viewed and a top TV annoyance is someone discussing the outcome of a programme before they’ve had a chance to see it.
“The television has always been an icon of entertainment culture and has influenced mainstream culture since it made its way into living rooms across the globe,” said Rovi chief evangelist Richard Bullwinkle. “In this survey, we’ve taken a look at how people have incorporated new TV technologies in their daily lives to continue to adapt our product design to best fit consumers’ preferences and viewing habits.”
Today, almost half of the British population watch TV they’ve recorded themselves on their set-top box (e.g. Sky+ or Virgin V+), allowing them to view their programmes at times that fit around their lifestyle and be less constrained by broadcaster choices. The survey also concluded that more flexible TV viewing style means that 56 per cent of people are socializing more or spending more quality time with friends and family. One in five respondents find time to read more, 17 per cent manage to fit in more exercise and 16 per cent use the freedom to put in extra hours at work.
This research shows the potential for a greater shift as more TV technology continues to be introduced into the market. When asked how they predict they will be watching TV by 2015, a huge 97 per cent of Brits believe they will be getting their TV or video content from the internet or recorded to watch on their schedule. More than 52 per cent of viewers feel that having a TV connected to the internet will make it easier to find the content they want to see.
Today the laptop is second only to the TV as the chosen device on which to view TV programmes and almost as popular as the TV for viewing films streamed from the internet or user generated content, with 50 per cent of viewers comfortable to do so. On average, 35 per cent of the UK watch more TV on their mobile phones than they did two years ago, although a resounding 62 per cent of 20-25 year olds answered positive on this point.
“What we’re doing at Rovi is looking at how we can create a better entertainment experience for TV viewers. Our technologies, such as Rovi TotalGuide, enable easier navigation, browse, search and recommendations,” added Bullwinkle. “We think these technologies will be a benefit to viewers, providing them with even greater options in how they watch TV."