• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, January 5, 2005

Multi-Tasking Impacts TV Viewing

BIGresearch's latest simultaneous media survey of over 12,000 consumers indicates some challenges for the models many marketers are using to communicate with their customers. The Simultaneous Media Usage Survey (SIMM V), conducted twice each year, indicates that the simultaneous consumption of media is continuing and television appears to be the medium most consumed along with other media.

Joe Pilotta, PhD, V.P. Research, BIGresearch, said "The old model of the family sitting down to be entertained by the three major networks ceased to exist long ago. Today primetime isn't just for TV. Consumers are just as likely to go online, read a magazine, newspaper or their mail, thumb through a catalogue, play video games or watch TV in various combinations of simultaneity which has resulted in a decline of time spent with TV (- 2.5%)."

"Most models used by marketers substitute scanner or product movement data for consumer purchase and media consumption and as a result are unable to account for the impact simultaneous media usage has on their advertising ROI," said Pilotta.

Key findings from the study include: When watching TV...

• 66.3% regularly or occasionally read the mail.
• 60.1% regularly or occasionally go online.
• 55.0% regularly or occasionally read the newspaper.
• 51.8% regularly or occasionally read magazines.

Source: BiGresearch