Ofcom’s 10th Communications Market Report, which was published on 1 August 2013, reveals that people are still coming together to watch TV in the living room with 91% of UK adults view TV on the main set each week, up from 88% in 2002. However, people are increasingly busy multitasking: streaming videos, sending instant messages and updating their social media status – all while watching more TV than before.
Tablet ownership has more than doubled in the past year, rising from 11% of homes to 24%. The average household now owns more than three types of internet enabled device, with one in five owning six or more.
Linear TV still accounted for 90% of all viewing in 2012, with the average viewer watching just over four hours of TV a day - 15 minutes more than in 2008. It is interesting to note that tablets are also supporting the continued popularity of watching TV live, with more than half (57%) of tablet audiovisual content viewers watching linear TV at least weekly via this device.
Seven percent of UK households had a smart TV in Q1 2013, a two percentage point increase on the previous year. Of those who own a smart TV, 77% have connected it to the internet and used the connection.