Multi-Taskers May Want Internet-Enabled TV More Than They Know
Surprise, Surprise! U.S. tablet and smartphone owners are increasingly multi-tasking when it comes to watching TV, according to data released by The Nielsen Company (www.nielsen.com) in October 2011. Still, it is amazing to think that roughly 40% of tablet and smartphone owners in the U.S. used their devices daily while watching TV, while only 14% of e-reader owners said they watched TV while using their device every day. 

Tablet (28%) and smartphone (24%) users also use their devices while watching TV several times a week at twice or close to twice the 14% rate of e-reader users. Rates of doing so several times a month are virtually identical for users of all 3 devices, while the percentage of e-reader users who never watch TV while using their device (45%) is close to 4 times that of tablet (12%) and smartphone (13%) users.

Females Socially Network More During TV
Another interesting fact is that female tablet and smartphone owners are more likely than male tablet and smartphone owners to visit social networking sites via their devices while watching TV. Forty-eight percent (48%) of females visited a social networking site during a program in Q2 2011, 37% more than the 35% of males who did so. Similarly, 47% of females visited a social networking site during a commercial, 30% more than the 36% of males who did so.

However, men were much more likely to check sports scores via mobile device while watching TV. Forty-four percent (44%) of men engaged in this activity -- about 2.6 times the 17% of women who did so.

About the Data: The Nielsen Company collected data during Q2 2011.

Source: “Mobile Users Multitask Watching TV”. Oct. 19, 2011. www.marketingcharts.com/television/mobile-users-multitask-watching-tv-19.... Marketing Charts. www.marketingcharts.com.

What’s your take on this subject? Leave a comment and get the conversation going.