• by Paul Gough , March 31, 2004

Appointment television is alive and well in most TV viewers' schedules, as the wider appearance of digital video recorders hasn't yet changed habits.

That revelation is among the findings of a new study, "Tracking the Evolving Use of Television and Its Content," released Tuesday afternoon by Cable &Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM) and Lieberman Research Worldwide. More than 64 percent say they knew what they were going to watch when they sat down in front of the television. Forty-eight percent of viewing is made up of television shows that viewers regularly watch, and 53 percent of viewers say they like to stick with their favorite program and not switch to another while their favorite is on.

"Though we are starting to see changes in the way people are deciding what to watch on television, it's surprising how much 'appointment viewing' to specific programs continues to dominate TV consumption," Michael Pardee, vice president of research at Scripps Networks and chairman of the CTAM Research Subcommittee that commissioned the research, said.

More than 55 percent of those surveyed said that they turned to their favorite channels to see what was on the evening before being asked. The favorite channels remain top of mind, but half of all viewers said they had watched a new channel within the past year.

The study is also meant to track viewing behavior in the future to determine the impact of high-definition television, DVRs, and other technology on the television viewing experience. Forty-five percent of the people surveyed said they're familiar with high-definition TV; two in 10 say they want to buy an HD-capable set.

The survey was conducted October through December among focused groups in the Philadelphia area and through telephone interviews with 1,201 adults.