Simultaneous Media Use Making TV Interactive

TV watching has shifted in more ways than are currently accounted for. While it is itself still a unidirectional medium, online media is being consumed parallel to television and is often turning television into a richer interactive experience.

According to a BIGressearch study released by the Center for Media Research, nearly 70% of users consume other media while watching TV. More than 70% consume other media while going online. The internet works quite well as an interactive layer in concert with television, even if it’s not yet all on one screen.

Simultaneous Media Consumption
When:	% Who Use Other Media
Watching TV	67.9%
Listening to Radio	56.4%
Reading Newspapers	68.9%
Going Online	70.7%
Source: BIGresearch, 2007

Watch any high rated TV show and open up Google Trends. Inevitably, a number of the top searches are related to things broadcast on television, including ads.

Case in point, in Top Trends during the Packers-Seahawks game:

Too much money is being spent thinking of the internet and TV as self-standing. Media drives other media. TV advertising is more valuable than ever today because users are simultaneously using new forms of communication to engage in what has historically been a passive experience.