Traditional TV viewing ‘on the decline’

The average amount of time people spend watching TV on a TV set will decline this year, as consumers devote more time to mobile internet consumption, according to new research.

TV remains the world’s most popular media medium and, media agency ZenithOptimedia says, accounted for 41% of all media consumption in 2015.

That proportion is declining, however, with Zenith forecasting TV will take a 38% share in 2018.

Traditional TV is losing share to mobile internet consumption. The good news for content owners is that Zenith’s TV numbers only cover viewing via a TV set, so a proportion of the mobile internet consumption will be of TV programmes on streaming and catch-up services.

“Mobile technology is transforming the way people around the world consume media, and is expanding overall media consumption,” said Jonathan Barnard, Zenith’s head of forecasting.

“It provides traditional media owners the opportunity to reach people and places they’ve never had access to previously, and gives consumers entirely new ways to find and enjoy compelling content.”

Mobile internet consumption is growing at the expense of all other media, Zenith found. It says that the time spent with mobile internet globally will grow 27.7% this year as all traditional media shrinks.