What were celebrities talking about on the red carpet at last night’s Screen Actors Guild Awards? It wasn’t just gossip and couture. The buzz was about the writers’ strike. To gain a better understanding of consumers’ media habits and attitudes as a result of the strike, Carat fielded an online survey of 1,000 primetime TV viewers in the United States. The survey was conducted among primetime viewers ages 18 and older.
The findings shed light on the fact that fans are not deserting TV, but people are shifting their viewing patterns. 72% of respondents report that they are watching the same amount of primetime TV than before the strike, while 25% of people are watching less and 3% are watching more.
The survey also discovered that in addition to their typical television viewing, consumers are changing what they watch during primetime. For example, they are willing to watch different genres, watch repeat episodes and channel surf to hunt for different programs. Additionally, they are open to expanding their use of other entertainment options such as online, DVDs, magazines and video games.
For those who “would not” or “may not” continue to watch their favorite shows in repeats, the top choice was to go online (54%), followed by channel surfing until they found something else interesting to watch (51%).
“We would certainly like the strike to come to an end. But in the meantime, our interest is in protecting our clients’ investments,” said Carat and Isobar U.S. CEO Sarah Fay. “As an integrated on and offline agency, we are perfectly poised to help our clients manage their marketing dollars across every media channel. This research is a part of our company’s ongoing interest in observing media consumption and unlocking and activating consumer behavior.”
“The majority of primetime viewers are watching the same amount of TV, so not much has changed yet. We’ll continue the dialogue with consumers every few weeks to stay on top of what they’re doing and to examine the new opportunities that arise as a result of the strike,” said Michelle Lynn, SVP, Carat Insight.
Several highlights of the survey include:
–> 72% of all primetime viewers said they are watching about the same amount of TV than before the strike, while 25% were watching less, and
3% were watching more.
–> 16% said they would continue to watch favorite TV shows in repeats for the next 3-6 months. Among those viewers, 21% said they would never lose interest.
–> Among those who said they would not (24%) or may not (60%) continue to watch their favorite shows in repeats (total of 84%)
–> 54% said they would go online instead
–> 51% said they would channel surf until they found something else interesting to watch instead
–> 42% would watch rented DVDs or buy DVDs
–> 38% would watch DVDs they currently own
–> 32% said they would watch other primetime shows they are familiar with
–> 30% would read magazines
–> 20% would play video games
–> Of the 54% of viewers who said they would go online instead, 6% said they would go to TV networks’ websites to watch shows or parts of TV shows (webisodes/episode players, etc.) that they would or would not normally watch
–> 81% said they would browse the Internet for topics of interest
–> Not surprisingly, nearly half of all younger age viewers (18-34) said they would visit social networking sites, while the same was said for only 16% and 8% of age 35-54 and 55+ year olds, respectively
–> Overall, 95% of adult primetime viewers are aware of the current strike by the Writers Guild of America.
About Carat
Carat is a global independent media communications network, with over 100 offices in over 80 countries. Carat is transforming communications — creating communications that transform clients’ businesses and leading transformation of the communications world. Carat provides a full range of services — including media and market research; communications planning; media planning and buying; multicultural communications; corporate trade; branded entertainment; direct and digital marketing; experiential and sponsorship services; and marketing analytics and consulting. Carat is part of the Aegis Group — a leading marketing services company listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, visit the company’s website at http://www.carat.com.
