Public transport is the new TV viewing hub, with more than half of commuters tuning in on the run

A NEW survey reveals just how many of us are tuning in to our favourite TV shows on our daily commute, using phones and tablets.

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BUSES and trains are becoming the new lounge rooms, with more than half of all Australians streaming television shows to their smartphones and tablets while commuting.

The Yahoo7 survey of more than 1000 Australians also found one in four now watches TV programs on devices other than television screens, from laptops to tablet computers, and those who do watch TV in their lounge room often do so with other technology by their side.

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Yahoo7 product and audience director Caroline Casey said the findings of the third annual Companion TV Survey showed Australians were rapidly changing their viewing behaviour, embracing TV on the go and on fresh devices.

Phone viewing ... the battle for the remote control may is getting even more remote as phone viewing takes over.

Ms Casey said the TV still dominated shared viewing in lounge rooms but outside that room, and out of the house, Australian viewers were willing to watch TV shows on many screens.

One in four regularly watched TV shows on devices such as computers and phones, the survey found, up seven per cent from 2013.

“What it highlights is that wherever people are, whatever they have with them, they want to watch their favourite shows,” she said.

“One area we’ve seen increase is TV on gaming consoles. That increased from three to eight per cent (in a year).”

Ms Casey said Australians aged 16 to 34 years were driving the trend, with 52 per cent watching TV shows across a range of devices, including 45 per cent regularly tuning in on a laptop or PC, 12 per cent on a tablet, and 10 per cent on a smartphone.

Many screens ... Australian TV viewers are tuning in to TV shows on many screens.

Of those who did watch TV in a lounge room, seven in 10 did so with a mobile phone by their side, and more than half did so with a laptop within reach.

The survey found 53 per cent of respondents regularly watched TV on smartphones and tablet computers while commuting, a move that could affect mobile data use.

“We’ve seen a really big increase in people (watching TV) on the go,” Ms Casey said. “It’s a pretty significant number and it’s an interesting change in behaviour.”