Linear TV Boosted By Online Viewing

• by Wayne Friedman , January 23, 2015

New research says a little less than half of TV’s core viewers watch linear “live” TV in a typical month — significantly boosted by younger viewers watching online and through traditional TV time-shifting.

Just 46% of the core TV audience (ages 18-58) watch linear TV in a typical month, according to a Forrester survey of more than 3,166 U.S. online adults in 2014.

In response to the question: “In which of the following ways do you watch video in a typical month?”, 40% of millennials (18-34 viewers) say they watch “TV as it airs.” Older Gen Xers/Younger Boomers (35-58) come in at 52%.

Millennials also tally 40% when it comes to “streamed from a free video service” and 40% for “streamed from a paid online video service.” In addition, 33% of those 18-34s watch “recorded on a DVR.” (37% of Gen Xers/Young Boomers watch DVR).

Perhaps to the chagrin of most traditional TV executives, numbers are lower for “free video on demand.” Here millennials come in at 23% and Gen Xers/Young Boomers at 32%.

Responding to the question “in a typical week, how much time do you spend?”: 55% of millennials watch four or more hours a week on TV; and 34% watch four or more hours a week on online.

As a comparison, 73% of Gen Xers watch four or more hours a week on TV, but only 12% watch for four or more online.