• 33 percent of Australian homes have a TV that can connect to the internet vs. 31 percent with a tablet computer
• Simultaneous consumption on the rise, with dual screening increasing from 60 percent in 2011 to 74 percent in 2012
• Forty-three per cent of Australians watch TV content delivered via the internet
Sydney: March 11, 2013 – For the first time ever, more Australians have access to internet-connected television (33%) than tablets (31%), according to a report released today by Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy.
The annual Australian Connected Consumers report found that the significant growth in internet-connected TV anticipated in 2013 signals a major opportunity for marketers and advertisers to broaden their reach through new channels. Already, more households have access to online content via their TV screen than via a tablet computer, and anticipated acquisition of Smart TVs and devices facilitating a connection to the TV is strong for 2013.
Melanie Ingrey, co-author of the Nielsen report and Research Director, Media, Nielsen APMEA, says there is growing potential and opportunity for marketers and advertisers to deliver content through new channels that have never before been utilised.
“Australians are becoming increasingly connected to devices which are changing the way they consume content and can be served content,” says Ingrey. “Where consumers once only had access to content through traditional channels such as print, broadcast TV and radio, growth in access to new technology such as smart phones, tablets and internet-connected TV is driving a media revolution and blurring traditional definitions.”
Ingrey points out that the former definition of ‘online’ is a thing of the past. “The latest report explores the new ‘new media’ environment where consumers increasingly have a range of connected devices at their disposal, often simultaneously. What’s more, the mobility of these new devices facilitates online media access across a range of locations and situations, providing brands an opportunity to cut through the noise and engage consumers at the right time, in the right place.”
Nielsen found that evening ‘prime time’ is no longer the exclusive domain of broadcast television, with the continued growth in popularity of online media. During this coveted timeslot, online media consumption grew 11 percent in 2012, with 64 percent of online Australians logging in between 6pm and 8pm. While broadcast television enjoys a single ‘peak time’ during the evening, online media also sees a morning peak, with 57 percent of online Australians accessing the internet between 9am and 12pm and consumption remains strong throughout the day.
“Dual screening increased from 60 percent of online Australians in 2011 to 74 percent in 2012, with ‘social TV’ coming out as a key trend,” commented Lillian Zrim, co-author of the report and Associate Research Director of Nielsen Insight and Innovation, Australia. “In 2012, we found more than one in three online Australians engaging in social media activity in line with television consumption, whether it is posting comments about TV programs or reading comments about programs being watched.”
Zrim pointed out that internet television is where the real opportunities exist for television media owners. “There is still a major opportunity to own the internet television space in Australia, which remained relatively flat in uptake during 2012. Almost half (43%) of the Australian online population watched TV content via internet services and sources, and the NBN rollout will facilitate a surge in the demand for streamed TV and movie content in Australia in coming years.”
Other key findings include:
• Australians now spend more time than ever online, browsing for 23 hours 18 minutes in an average week (up by 1 hour 24 minutes from 2011), with men spending, on average, three hours longer than women on the internet, per week.
• ‘Mobile internet’ is now commonly the first daily media access point for Australian consumers (up 6% compared to 2011).
• For the first time ever, Android has taken over iOS as the leading smartphone operating system, with 45 percent of online Australians utilising Android technology versus 38 percent using iOS. However, iOS users access more content compared to Android users.
Ingrey concludes: “The need to reach consumers on multiple platforms may seem daunting to some marketers and advertisers, however in the future the most successful brands will be those that effectively navigate the media matrix to connect with consumers across multiple platforms, at the most effective times throughout the day.”
The report by Nielsen delivers detailed analysis of trends in consumer behaviour and interaction with digital platforms and devices to provide a holistic view of the market place and crucial insights for today’s advertisers and content developers.
About the Nielsen Australian Connected Consumers report, 2012/2013
The Australian Connected Consumers Report (formerly known as The Australian Online Consumer Report) is a culmination of Nielsen’s two annual studies of online consumers: The Australian Internet and Technology Report, published 1997-2009; and The Australian Social Media Report, published 2007-2009. The 2012 report analysed the responses of 5,034 online Australians aged 16 years and above (2,407 males and 2,627 females) through an online survey methodology. All responses were collected between 3rd and 20th December 2012.
N.B. Due to the approaching saturation of internet penetration in Australia, Australian Connected Consumers focuses on online Australians. There is no analysis of the behaviours or profile of Australians who do not use the internet.
About Nielsen
Nielsen Holdings N.V. (NYSE: NLSN) is a global information and measurement company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence, mobile measurement, trade shows, and related properties. Nielsen has a presence in approximately 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA, and Diemen, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.
/ENDS
Jackie Helliker
Tel: + 61 403 074 864
Email: jackie.helliker@nielsen.com
Hannah Crafter (ICON International Communications)
Tel: +612 8235 7600 or +61 430 058 500
Email: HCrafter@iconinternational.com.au
