In a weird turnabout, new FourthWall Media research claims that even with an increasing array of ways to access content on the Internet and cable pushing the TV Everywhere concept, viewers prefer to watch TV. It's just, the survey says, they want the TV to do more.
According to information the company detailed in a news release, nearly 90 percent of TV viewers want to use interactive applications; three times as many would prefer using a TV remote to cast a vote on a reality show; in excess of 70 percent would be more interested in commercials if they were interactive (but then again, who could be less interested in commercials?); and nearly one third said they'd turn off the computers if TV was interactive.
The problem is, according to Ellen Dudar, FourthWall's chief product officer and co-founder, television "has been slow to incorporate interactivity at scale." She credits the cable industry, of all things, with changing that and creating the "perfect storm of consumer behavior aligning with the launch of a ubiquitous platform."
In more survey news, a new CTAM study says that 79 percent of "regular social networkers" would watch a TV show based on a friend's recommendation via a social networking site. Combine that site with a cable TV network and, again, it appears that you have people leaving their Internet-connected non-TV devices and returning to the boob tube.
For more:
- see this news release
- and this story
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