Divided Attention

When I watch TV, I don't usually just watch TV. I invariably have a stack of magazines or a notebook computer in my lap. Well I'm appararently not alone. A recent study by BIGresearch titled, "The Simultaneous Media Usage Survey," found that although television continues to be the most-consumed medium, it's increaslingly consumed concurrently with other media. The report said...

"The old model of the family sitting down to be entertained by the three major networks ceased to exist long ago. Today primetime isn't just for TV. Consumers are just as likely to go online, read a magazine, newspaper or their mail, thumb through a catalogue, play video games or watch TV in various combinations of simultaneity, which has resulted in a decline of time spent with TV," says Joe Pilotta, PhD, vice president, research, BIGresearch.

The study found the following: When watching TV ?

66.3 percent regularly or occasionally read the mail.
60.1 percent regularly or occasionally go online.
55.0 percent regularly or occasionally read the newspaper.

Those of us who write, produce and format direct resonse television programs must take this into account! For example, offers should be repeated and re-emphasized often.