eMarketer: Three-screen viewing on the rise

Three-screen viewing is becoming a reality in US households, with multi-screen viewing on the rise, according to eMarketer.

While television screens remain the most popular way to watch content, computers and mobile devices are also having an impact on viewing habits.

eMarketer estimates that in 2011, 68.2% of US internet users (158.1 million people) will watch video content online each month.

By 2015, that figures is expected to increase to 76% of internet users (195.5 million people). In the same period, online video advertising spend will rise from $1.97 billion to $5.71 billion.

An eMarketer analyst said consumers “care most about convenience, cost and choice, and are interested in viewing options to the extent that they fit in with those demands”.

The report forecasts that 69.4 million adults will watch TV at least once a month through “some type of internet connection” – via a TV set, computer screen or mobile device. By 2015, nearly 100 million adults (48%) will do the same.

In the UK, the idea of two-screen viewing has caused quite a stir on Newsline in recent weeks. Simon Andrews, founder of addictive!, thinks that while TV has hung onto eyeballs, TV advertising has lost the war for attention in the multi-screen environment.

Tess Alps, CEO of Thinkbox, disagrees, saying we pay attention to very few ads, whatever the medium but it doesn’t stop them working. Alps argues that TV engagement (not attention) is the single biggest individual catalyst for mobile activity during two screening whether social or search. See the full debate here.

Read the full eMarketer article here.