NEW YORK—A national survey of U.S. consumers shows 66% of us watch TV “all or most of the time” and also multitask while doing it.
A new national study from Optimum of more than 200 participants reveals that television is still central to American life, but the way people watch it has changed dramatically. Viewers are no longer sitting quietly on the couch, focused on just one screen. Instead, they are multitasking, with almost 90% of survey respondents doing something else while watching.
Here are the most popular pastimes while watching TV, in this order:
- Eating.
- Browsing on their phone or the Internet.
- Texting or talking on the phone.
- Enjoying company of friends and family.
- Scrolling social media.
- Cooking.
The survey found that, on average, Americans watch 24 hours of television every week. Two thirds of us say we watch TV all or most of the time. In terms of sports, viewers favor football, basketball and baseball—and most prefer to watch games live. When given a choice, sports fans pick their favorite team over their favorite sport.
“This poll hits home for everyone across the country,” said Eric Bruno, senior vice president of product management at Optimum. “We all have busy lives, but in between family, work and school, we all have unique television habits, and it’s interesting to hear about them.”
If you are always asking your friends and family about what’s the next best show to watch, you are not alone. The survey found nearly 40% of us rely on these suggestions to decide what to watch next.
The survey also discovered insights into how we watch television, including:
- Almost 75% of Americans use Amazon Prime and Netflix, more than other streaming services.
- Americans prefer to stream movies and shows more than sports and political news.
- Just 25% of households only have streaming services.
“At Optimum, we are using data like this to make better products for our customers,“ Bruno said. “We’ve reaffirmed that Americans want both streaming and traditional television options, but they want those services to be accessible and easier to understand. By listening closely to consumers and staying flexible to evolve with their habits in mind, we’re working to better meet the needs of our customers and the realities of an ever-changing TV landscape.”
