Viewing Habits Fail To Keep Pace With Technological Improvements, Says ITC

Around 60% of television viewers cannot recall having seen anything they find personally offensive on television over the last 27 years. So say the findings of an ITC report released last week, Television Across The Years: The British Public’s View 1970-1997, which charts the changes in television viewing and attitudes over the period.

Since the ’70’s, the public appear to have become more tolerant of sex, violence and bad language, but less tolerant of content which has racist and sexist connotations.

When the survey began, most households could only receive three channels – BBC1, BBC2 and ITV – in black and white, and on a single set. Nowadays, colour television is accompanied by a proliferation of cable and satellite channels, video recorders and teletext. However, despite these hefty changes in technology, viewing habits themselves do not appear to have changed so dramatically. The amount of time spent watching television hasn’t changed much, and despite the popularity of VCRs, viewers continue to watch a wide range of television programming.

These results are of great significance today, especially since 1998 has seen the launch of a new form of television, with BSkyB and ONdigital launching their digital services, and Cable & Wireless’s version on the way in the new year (see Newsline). As well as this, the television is set to become a resource centre offering email, internet shopping and home banking.

Past improvements in television do not appear to have succeeded in tempting people to spend more time in front of the box, if the ITC results are anything to go by. Technology is becoming ever more advanced, creating more opportunity for people to conduct their business from home. Whether people will utilise such facilities to their full extent is yet to be seen.

ITC: 0171 306 7743