Telly is still our first love but more Aussies falling for digital devices
TELEVISION still tops the list for how Australians entertain themselves, but it may be on borrowed time as attention to the small screen is increasingly shared with smartphones and other digital devices.
A survey shows new technologies are making consumers a tougher target for media companies and advertisers as smartphones, tablets and laptops are used more for entertainment, splintering the market across different devices and demographics.
The Deloitte State of the Media Survey also found 78 per cent of people aged 14 to 29 see their smartphones as an entertainment device, a far greater percentage than among GenXers and older generations.
Nearly two-thirds – 63 per cent – of respondents to the survey ranked live TV in their top three leisure pursuits, while 44 per cent included social and personal internet use.
However Deloitte media partner Clare Harding said the survey
Smartphones are increasingly being used for entertainment. found a high level of entertainment multi- tasking among Australians – with browsing online, using social media, emailing and texting among common activities while watching TV.
‘‘More than a quarter of Australians own a laptop, a tablet and a smartphone and we multitask with them,’’ Ms Harding said at the launch of the report yesterday.
Younger generations are less likely to watch TV, with fewer than half of 14 to 23-year-olds ranking it in their top three.
The challenge for media companies and advertisers is to develop ‘‘ platform neutral strategies’’, Ms Harding said.
The survey found the 29 per cent of Australians who still do nothing else when watching TV among the highest proportion worldwide.
Among other findings, the report showed tablet ownership has grown from just 13 per cent in Australia in 2011 to 37 per cent in 2012 – ranking third after Spain and Italy.
The love affair with the smartphone remains strong, however, with ownership at 68 per cent nationally and 80 per cent of people surveyed rating their phone as more valuable than their tablet.
The report also found social media uptake has reached a point where 48 per cent of people are updating their status almost daily.
The Deloitte report is based on an online survey of 2000 Australians aged 14 to 75.