Americans Increasingly Look to Internet for TV Programming

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Americans Increasingly Look to Internet for TV Programming

5:50 am on September 18, 2008 | Category: Web Services, Television

About one in five American households now use the internet to watch television programming, double the number from two years ago, according to a recent survey by the Conference Board and TNS Global.

The main reason that consumers go online for TV is the ability to watch programming at any time, rather than on a set schedule. Other advantages include the ability to avoid most commercials and watch TV in different locations.

72% of online TV viewers log on for entertainment on a daily basis, the survey suggests, while about one in ten ranks video entertainment as their most important internet activity.

“The shift from appointment TV to content on demand is well underway,” said Michael Saxon, the senior VP of brand and communications at TNS. “Fundamentally, consumers expect content to be available when they want it, and on the screen of their choice — TV, PC, or mobile.”

“For consumers, PCs enhance content on demand from simply time-shifting to place-shifting. Online content can be viewed in any room in the house, or at work or school,” Saxon added.

The most popular form of online TV content is news, which is watched by 43% of viewers, followed by drama (39%), sitcoms and other comedies (34%), reality shows (23%), and sports programming (16%).