'Questionable' digital players create hype - TV is the 'main game'

Pippa Chambers
By Pippa Chambers | 8 June 2016
 

Marketers need to be aware of the “questionable measurement practices” by some digital players and ensure they pay attention to the “confusing” world of video and all its hype, according to TV reports out this week.

One study, published by OzTAM/RegionalTAM/Nielsen, shows that TV continues to dominate Australians’ video consumption, with eight out of 10 total video minutes spent watching the television set

As media as a whole is fragmenting, with consumers able to choose from a range of new channels to access the content they want, when they want it, including catch-up services, streaming video on demand (SVOD) and the rise of internet video, it's no surprise TV is keen to come out shouting given the raft of new global players shaking up the landscape from outside the traditional broadcast space.

The new report, which weaves in numerous comparisons of how TV fares far better than rivals like YouTube, says watching broadcast TV - on an actual TV - accounts for 84.3% of Australia’s total screen viewing time.

In April this year YouTube said it was looking to target lucrative television spend and boost ads on its channel, with a report claiming 77% of its campaigns have a higher return on investment (ROI) than TV.  In September Google marked 10 years of YouTube at its second annual Brandcast event, where it rolled out a line-up of online talent and marketers to woo advertisers and demonstrate the power that YouTube has when it comes to connecting with audiences in Australia.

The report adds that TV is the main screen for all demographics, noting that Australians spend more than 85 hours a month watching broadcast TV on their TVs. The report also highlights that more than 91% of broadcast TV is watched live and that there are also 2.31 million connected devices accessing catch-up TV every week.

One medium to rule them all?

Think TV chairman Russel Howcroft says Australia has some of the highest viewership of TV in the world and broadcast television remains a “powerful and dominant medium”.

“It’s time to challenge the questionable measurement practices by some digital players and put their claims in perspective, which is a key part of Think TV’s remit,” Howcroft says.

He says premium, long form content has “greater power, reach and accountability” and that “TV is, and always has been, the main game”.

The release of the Q1 2016 Australian Multi-Screen Report coincides with the arrival of a Global Video Consumption Report, compiled by TV trade bodies from around the world including Australia, the US, Canada and Europe.

In Australia, as well as broadcast TV viewing accounting for the vast majority of screen viewing time, it found TV dominates screen viewing time for all demographics including 18-24s – who spend 37 hours and 22 minutes a month watching broadcast TV – more than any other screen.

Don't believe the 'hype'

The report (highlights below) shows how TV dominates the video landscape and puts video consumption, particularly YouTube viewing, in perspective.

In a joint statement, Publishers of the Global Viewing Report, the Pan-European Platform for the Promotion of Television (PEPPTV), said: "Video is a confusing world with lots of numbers flying around. But despite the popularity and occasional hype around video services, this new international data underlines TV's unmatched and continued popularity around the world.

“It is the world's favourite video. We hope international marketers will base their decisions about advertising investment on these facts and TV's proven effectiveness."

The gloves were well and truly off as the battle between TV and digital racheted up a notch or two at a recent Media Summit session that explored the collision of digital video and TV. Did you catch it?

UK TV report. OzTAM/RegionalTAM/Nielsen report TV report. Q1 2016 Australian Multi-Screen Report

Global highlights:

  • In the UK, TV accounts for 76% of total average video consumption, whilst YouTube accounts for 4.4% of video viewing. For 16-24s TV accounts for 57.5% of all video, compared to 10.3% for YouTube.
  • In the USA, ad-supported TV maintains a substantial time spent advantage against YouTube among millennials (18-34): 86% vs 14%. According to the VAB, a TV show's monthly audience is on average 50% higher than the average YouTube channel's video views (and its TV audience per episode is 6 times higher than an average YouTube video).
  • In Canada, millennials (18-34) spend 19 hours watching TV each week, six times more than the time spent watching YouTube.
  • In Germany, 90% of video usage can be attributed to TV (live +3 days, on the TV set), whilst 3% can be attributed to alternative means of TV distribution (i.e. non-TV set screens) and 5% is spent watching free online videos.
  • In France, 70% of 15-24s' video viewing is to live TV rising to 80% for 15+ population. 20% of 15-24s video consumption is to "other forms of video" (incl. YouTube and IPTV) and only 6% for the 15+ population.
  • In Italy, YouTube represents 5.4% of time spent watching video for 15-34s, whilst TV represents 88.8%.
  • In Spain, TV accounts for the vast majority of 15-34s daily video consumption, (80% linear TV + 17% time shifted/VOD). Online video only accounts for 3% of which YouTube accounts for 1.1%.

YouTube were approached for a comment, but did not respond by the time of publication.

Did you catch our TV and digital deep-dive?

The golden age of video or the death of TV?
TV and online video measurement: the new world yardstick

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