Americans are increasingly online and consuming media via multiple devices simultaneously. Some 40% of tablet and smartphone owners in the U.S. used these devices while watching TV.
Only 14% of eReaders did so, according to a Nielsenwire blog post. Given the very different natures of TV viewing and reading, this really shouldn’t come as any sort of surprise.
It turned out that while watching TV, viewers were checking their email. Email was the most common activity for both men and women during TV programming and commercial breaks. Women reportedly engaged more in social networking than men, while men checked sports scores more often.
“Advertisers should take note that while viewers may be splitting attention between two (or three!) screens, 19 percent of smartphone and tablet owners searched for product information and 13 percent searched for coupons or deals while the television was on,” according to Nielsen.
