Nielsen Report: U.S. ADULTS SPEND OVER 11 HOURS PER DAY CONNECTED TO MEDIA. Shock or Not?

Nielsen published a report on July 31, 2018 scrutinising American media consumption, across all ages and platforms, and it’s findings may shock many but the trend has been evident for some time now.

Four percent (4%) of USA households, about 4m, do not have a TV and are younger and considered Millennials, but they still watch video. This is an emerging connected class of screen viewers, which will grow as well across America and the world, have adopted new behaviours and consumer patterns.  

I have provided a brief further on, but this is crucial intelligence and should be carefully consumed and studied and is not to be under estimated. Frankly, the trend is alarming and indicates how our society has changed and will continue to be disrupted by digital interaction and the impact, I believe negative impact, this will lead to. Our very economy will shift towards less physical interaction and more AI/autonomous contacts. Your profile will be harvested and every click will deliver profit to someone else at your expense.

Some will seek to learn and develop methods and strategies to benefit and survive, some will ignore and be overwhelmed by the digital tsunami of information overload, entertainment content explosion and analytical manipulation and exploitation.

The Report Brief

ADULTS SPEND NEARLY SIX HOURS A DAY CONSUMING VIDEO ACROSS PLATFORMS Consumers continue to lean into the immediacy of engaging with social media. It has already reshaped the way people connect with each other, but social networks are now beginning to affect the content landscape too as the major platforms begin to strike licensing deals for premium content. Source: Nielsen 2018 Total Audience Report

The report states that in Q1 2018, younger adults (18-34) spent less than nine hours a day as compared to older adults (50+) who spend over 12 hours a day with content across platforms. With older demos, more time is spent with linear platforms of television and radio with less time on digital platforms.

Black adults 18+ on average consume nearly thirteen and a half hours of media per day, almost two-and-a-half hours more than the average adult. Marketers take note: this group is also the heaviest users of media across all platforms, especially live TV. Hispanic persons consume less overall media on average, but do listen to more radio and have higher time spent on game consoles and internet connected devices. Asian American adults spend more time on their computers and tablets than any other group.

You can sign in and download this report at: http://www.nielsen.com/content/dam/corporate/us/en/reports-downloads/2018-reports/q1-2018-total-audience-report.pdf

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS Q1 2018 SUMMARY INCLUDE: 

• 92% of U.S. adults listen to radio each week, the highest reach across platforms. 
• On average, U.S. adults are spending over 11 hours a day connected to linear and digital media and almost six hours a day with video alone. 
• Young adults 18-34 spend the largest percentage of time with TV-connected devices and digital devices compared to other demographics. 
• Black adults are the heaviest users of media overall. Compared to overall U.S., Hispanics listen to more radio, and Asian Americans spend more time with computers and tablets. 
• Nearly 3% of TV homes subscribe to a virtual multichannel video programming distributor (vMVPD). 
• Almost 20% of consumers use a smart speaker in the household. • Two-thirds of U.S. TV households have devices capable of streaming content to the TV set. 
• One out of 10 minutes of television use in streaming capable homes is streaming to the TV set.
• Over eight in 10 non-television households still view video content. 

Conclusion: Every time a new concept or product, technology or thought is introduced, humans are suspect and many voice negative opinions until the new entity is proven. It is in our nature to be wary and cautious but this warning system can also prevent us from responding in time. A rush to avoid is a lazy trigger response and prevents one from learning, adapting flexibility, being creative and seeing the threats & opportunities that lie ahead.

Embrace change, prepare for disruption and remember that if you are being impacted it may already be to late to respond properly or efficiently. It will cost you more, make life and business more complex and difficult. Get ahead of the curve by staying onto of the waves of change which the digital economy and lifestyle control. Complacency will hurt, possibly kill, your world.

There are many lessons here. With experience and knowledge we can benefit from the report by adapting and planning. But the best advice for your business, and life, is to trial new concepts and and get involved now. It does not have to be expensive. Start with small POC (proof of concept) micro projects and skunk works. Expand when appropriate and adapt because what appears solid today will certainly become liquid in the future. Change is inevitable and constant, it is accelerating and becoming increasingly more powerful.

NOTE: Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) affects millions of people in the United States alone as they spend much of their day, up to eight hours or more, depending upon the user’s professional demands, using personal computers. The eye-related complaints experienced by computer users typically include blurred vision, eye strain, eye fatigue, burning sensations, irritation, redness, blurred vision, and dry eyes. This disorder is a drain on productivity and increases medical expenses associated with treating ocular complaints. By conservative estimates, $2 Billion annually is spent on examinations and special eyewear to combat CVS. It has become such a cause for concern that in 1999, the USA Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) made a public request via the Federal Register for more information on computer vision syndrome:

Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), defined as a complex of eye and vision problems that are experienced during and related to computer use, is a repetitive strain disorder that appears to be growing rapidly, with some studies estimating that 90 percent of the 70 million U.S. workers using computers for more than 3 hours per day experience it in some form.