Thursday, December 6, 2007

Canadian TV Viewing Habits

Ever wonder who watches what kind of TV programming, where in their home, and how much of it? A new survey of 1,266 adult Canadians conducted by Angus Reid Strategies on behalf of Samsung Canada sheds some light on Canadians' TV viewing habits, as well as regional differences among watchers.

Who are the biggest couch potatoes? Supposedly those in BC, where 15% of the respondents watch more than 29 hours a week; more than twice the national average! The majority of reality TV fans are in Alberta (11%), while 18% of Quebecers prefer soaps.

In terms of where they watch, Quebecers like to engage while they cook or eat in the kitchen (15%), while those in Atlantic Canada are more likely to opt for bedroom viewing (64%).

The Prairies could be a potentially lucrative market for flat-panel TV: 8% of residents admit to owning a TV that's more than 20 years old! On the flip side, Albertans appear to be on the cutting-edge of TV technology, with 40% reporting that they've purchased a brand spanking new panel in the last 5 years.

The result that surprised me most was that Ontarians watch the least amount of TV: 34% take in less than seven hours a week.

Overall, almost every Canadian (98%) has at least one working TV in his home; and 80% have up to three. In addition to the living room, bedroom, and kitchen being popular TV placement rooms, the survey notes that TVs can also often be found in a child's room and a home office. The majority of Canadians (34%) watch anywhere from 8 to 14 hours of TV a week.
"I think it's fair to say that television remains a mainstay of the average Canadian household," said Andrew Dorcas, Director of Marketing for Samsung Electronic Canada's Consumer Electronics Division. I'd have to agree with Dorcas: whether "watching" entails paying full attention to a HD movie, or listening to a soap or talk show through your periphery while making dinner, consumers are still very much interested in TV. And with things like flat-panels, PVRs, on-demand TV, and, of course, compelling (and high-definition!) programming, TV viewing has become a much more exciting experience than it has ever been.

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