TV is still the centrepiece of Australia’s viewing habits

DESPITE all the various entertainment devices available for our viewing pleasure, the latest study shows Australians still favour the trusty TV.

What we watch most on our gadgets

AUSTRALIANS are spending more time watching regular TV despite the growing presence of tablets, smartphones and laptops.

The average viewer spent about 97 hours per month in front of a TV screen between July and September, a report from Neilsen and OzTAM says.

That’s consistent with the average over the last decade, and about an hour more than during the same period last year.

People spent about 7.5 hours per month watching videos on PCs or laptops, two hours watching on smartphones, and about one-and-three-quarter hours watching on tablets.

Children and over-50s were most likely to favour regular TV with young adults the most receptive to gadgets.

“Television is still the centrepiece,” said OzTAM chief Doug Peiffer, whose organisation directly monitors the viewing habits of 3500 households.

Broadcast TV is facing increasing strain with the arrival of internet-era streaming services such as Netflix, which is scheduled to launch in Australia in March.

Many such services are available on a variety of gadgets in addition to regular TV.