Commercial Television Is Alive And Well

Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief

Much was made last week of Nielsen’s latest report, with folks like Mediaweek writing “Consumers Using TV, Web More Than Ever”

By the way it was the first time that Nielsen had released comparable estimates across all three screens; TV, the Internet and mobile.

“Commercial television is alive and well, growing 1 percent year over year, despite the rapid adoption of other platforms,” said John Burbank, chief marketing officer for The Nielsen Co.

We don’t dispute that though but as always we question how for example in the UK a panel of 5,100 homes* can statistically be extrapolated into an audience of say 10.6 Million for the (Euro 2008 final in June 2008

Mediaweek wrote about the Nielsen data “More media may be vying for the consumer’s attention, but contrary to conventional wisdom, they’re watching more TV than ever before … Consumers are also watching more time-shifted TV and using the Internet more … The average American watched 4 percent more TV this May compared to the same period last year … Internet usage was up 9 percent to 26 hours and 26 minutes. The data also showed that wherever there is video, consumers will watch it”

Forgive us though for not being that excited. Anyone with teenage children knows that they have the ability to work on a computer, watch TV, listen to their iPOD and text on their mobile phone all at the same time!!!

*The Broadcaster’s Audience Research Board (BARB) provides in-home TV viewing measurement for the UK based on a panel of 5,100 homes.


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