The social media population overall, skews slightly higher among females (55%), than males (45%). However, when comparing this demographic split to that of the population on social media sites talking about TV, this split reverses skewing higher among males (55%), than females (45%). There are several interesting demographic shifts when comparing general social media users and the portion of the population talking about TV specifically on social media. Those under age 18 account for 34 percent of the overall social media population, yet make up only 12 percent of the population on social media sites talking about TV. The opposite shift happens when focusing on the 25 – 34 year-old demographic. This age break comprises 17 percent of the overall social media population, but jumps to 29 percent of the makeup of the population on sites talking about TV. Within these age groups it’s interesting to note that, the difference in percentages across ethnic backgrounds remains relatively unchanged for African Americans, Asian, Hispanic and Whites.

When are consumers discussing TV?
TV buzz closely mimics traditional ratings patterns as well as a show’s yearly cycle.

Buzz is highest on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday coinciding with days when a lot of major shows air. TV buzz drops off on the weekend and increases once again as the middle of the week approaches.

Research shows that TV buzz nears its high during September, right before a show premieres and during its initial month. Conversations taper off slightly over the ensuing months, but increase again in January with the introduction of new and returning shows. TV buzz then seems to peak during April and May as consumers respond to show finales, and then dips again during the summer.

What are consumers discussing?

Consumers use social media to talk about a number of key TV-related topics such as winning (14%), voting (6%) and judging (6%), which highlight the appeal of and engagement consumers have with reality-based TV. Top genres fueling the most buzz are funny (10%), romance (8%) and drama (6%). Entertaining (11%), physical attractiveness (9%), fans (9%) and writers/creators (6%) round out the rest of top topics driving consumer discussion across social media.

For more on TV viewers getting social, download research and watch video from Nielsen’s Advertising Week presentations.

Download Nielsen’s State of the Media: TV Usage Trends – Q3/Q4 2010

With today’s announcement of the first live application on Nielsen’s new Media-Sync Platform, I’m sure some are wondering, “How did Nielsen get involved in launching an iPad app with ABC?”

The answer is simple really. We saw the opportunity to leverage our world-class technology to help bring TV viewers closer to their favorite shows.

At a time when consumers are more sophisticated than ever and networks and advertisers are looking for ways to deepen engagement with their audiences, they are turning to Nielsen for help in better understanding the connected consumer in an increasing fragmented media landscape.

In Q1 2010, Nielsen data showed that nearly 60% of people were watching TV and using the Internet on their computers simultaneously. With more and more consumers going on online while they watch TV, many viewers have already been engaging in a two-screen experience, primarily using social media for ‘background chatter,’ or activity in the margins.

Further to that, we know from a Nielsen survey last month of more than 4,000 mobile subscribers who reported downloading a mobile app in the previous 30 days, that social networking apps are among the most popular, with 49% of smartphone users and 32% of feature phone users reporting to have used one in the past 30 days. As connected devices such as touchscreen tablets gain in popularity, mobile apps are likely to flourish there as well.

However, the question is: how can content producers and broadcasters leverage this to more closely connect with TV fans and bridge the gap between consumers and advertising?

That’s why I’m so excited about the launch of our first-of-its-kind iPad application, developed with Disney/ABC, for the September 23rd premiere of ABC’s new primetime drama, “My Generation.” Nielsen’s ability to not only deliver the best, most comprehensive audience research services, but also to open up our technology to develop an innovative sync-to-broadcast app that appeals to both TV fans and advertisers, is key in answering this question and providing exciting a new way to connect viewers with content.

Built on Nielsen’s new Media-Sync Platform, which allows mobile applications to automatically detect and synchronize with TV programming using Nielsen’s proprietary audio watermarks, ABC’s My Generation Sync iPad app will enhance the experience of watching “My Generation” by providing synchronized interactive content and social media functionality on the iPad. Now available in the Apple iTunes App Store, the app allows fans of the new ABC series to unlock content and features, as well as connect in real-time with other viewers of the program through social networks.

The most powerful social opportunities for television programming will be related to specific compelling elements of individual TV shows. Whether it’s sharing comments and interacting with other viewers, or unlocking related content and additional engagement opportunities within and between social networks, we believe this will pave the way to fundamentally change the way consumers interact with TV programs and advertisements.

We look forward to continuing to collaborate with the industry to develop more exciting ways to enhance the new consumer media experience.

Scott Brown and Nielsen’s Nic Covey will be on hand this week at CES as panelists. View the presentation deck on Three Screen Measurement from Scott Brown.

Patricia McDonough, Senior Vice President, Insights, Analysis and Policy

SUMMARY: Meet the mini media moguls who are dictating electronic sales and media utilization patterns in American homes: kids. TV still engages children of all ages, but older children gravitate toward the Internet, while younger kids embrace DVDs, VCRs and DVRs. Whether a solo use or co-viewing with friends and families, connected kids represent a fertile opportunity for advertisers.

If you’re trying to locate a child between the ages of 2 and 11, your best bet might be to start your search in the media room, where older kids (age 6–11) clock in more than 28 viewing hours per week, primarily watching TV, but also spending close to 2.5 hours watching DVDs or playing video games, with an additional hour dedicated to the DVR and 18 minutes set aside for the VCR.

Younger children age 2–5 log close to 25 hours of TV time each week, more than 4.5 hours watching their favorite DVDs, about 1.5 hours viewing DVR offerings, more than an hour competing at video games and 45 minutes with the VCR.

Viewing patterns prove predictable, with TV viewing among younger children peaking in prime time, and peripherals (DVD, DVR, VCR, video game console) use topping off just before prime time (7p.m.). Among older children ages 6–11, viewing and peripherals utilization spikes during prime time, with the exception of video games—an after school time slot favorite.

Tech toys
Little hands are busy hands, whether at the controls of a game console, an MP3 player, high definition TV set or smartphone. Electronic-intensive households tend to be those with kids under age 12 who actively lobby parents for the newest device. For example, 68% of households with children boast an in-home video game system vs. 32% of homes overall.

Thirty-two percent more households with young children report owning a portable video game device. Almost 30% more child-centric homes listed an MP3 player among their electronics; 17% more logged on to view short-clip video streaming. Sixteen percent more households with young children connected to a broadband Internet service. Roughly 15% more kid-focused homes boasted a digital video recorder and large screen TV. Kid-inclusive households seem to be more tech savvy, dialing up 12% more smartphones than the average domicile.

TV time
Despite the onslaught of new viewing devices and media, television remains a perennial favorite among all children ages 2–11, with TV use at an eight-year high when including DVR playback or time shifted viewing. Additionally, the distribution of TV minutes by daypart is distributed remarkably consistently throughout the viewing week for both younger and older children, with younger children tending to watch more weekday morning television.

When younger kids ages 2–5 handle the remote, their network choices vary by daypart, with PBS jump-starting the mornings, and kid-oriented cable networks accounting for two-thirds of the viewing options. Older youths ages 6–11 spent less time with PBS programming and almost three-quarters of their viewing day was devoted to kids cable network shows.

Program picks
Left to their own devices, children 2–5 and 6–11 primarily watch kids programming. When another person enters the room, the viewing equation changes. Only 9% of kids 2–5 watch broadcast network programming alone during the day, but that percent increases to 40% when another child 2–11 watches with them and rises even further to 82% when an adult 18+ co-watches. The same pattern holds true for older children 6–11: 24% watch a broadcast network during the day alone, 38% watch when another child is in the room and 63% co-view with an adult 18+.

Digital decisions
The transition to digital television has had little to no impact on children’s viewing habits for either youth age group, nor has it materially changed the medium’s overall reach. Kids still view the same percentage of TV in different rooms in the house. Younger children 2–5 are bidding VCRs adieu, making room in the media cabinet for DVRs, but DVDs still dominate playback options. Conversely, older kids 6–11 are less enamored with VCRs and DVD players.

Even with the advent of time-shifting viewing alternatives, younger and older kids both prefer live entertainment, with more than 97% of TV viewing done live versus same day or other playback alternative. When younger kids did select playback programming, they watched more commercials (50%) than any other age group. Older kids age 6–11 took in the same number of commercials as adults (44%).

Repeat, replay
Video on demand (VOD) viewing patterns reveal an interesting fact about kids. When they like a show, they really like a show and will watch it over and over and over again. Kids programming accounts for some 28% of total free video on demand content, with many of the top shows paralleling TV offerings like Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, PBS Sprout and the Cartoon Network.

The highest ranked kids shows on VOD enjoy almost twice the average repeat viewing numbers compared with other free VOD content. Episodes of the most popular shows like SpongeBob Square Pants™ , iCarly™, Dora the Explorer™ or The Backyardigans™ can reel in as many as 50 million total minutes viewed in a given month.

Web kinds
Internet utilization increases with age, with almost half of children age 6–11 surfing the Web compared to just one-fifth of younger kids age 2–5. The heaviest keyboarding time concentrates on the weekends and in the after-school and after-dinner time slots. For all children ages 2–11, results are evenly split, with nearly half utilizing TV only and a little more than half allocating time to both TV and the Internet.

More so than other age groups, almost 45% of children watched TV solely, without simultaneously accessing the Internet. Approximately 60% or more of teenagers and older adults were concurrent TV/Internet media users.

Live TV has dominated the share of video minutes for the last four quarters running for kids age 2–11, with online streaming increasing marginally for younger kids 2–5 and remaining flat for older youths 6–11. Accessible and adaptable, kids are quick on the uptake, willing to try new media and devices, but loyal to live TV. Diverse media consumers, their appetite for programming grows unabated, as does total viewing time, affording more touch points and time slots for flexible marketers.

Daily viewing during primetime remained flat compared to a year ago, but is still at its highest peak since 1991.

The continued increase in television consumption can be attributed to several factors including more television sets in the home, and Americans also have more channels and content to choose from and are using their DVRs more than ever.

Download the complete breakdown of personal and household viewing dating back to 1950.

American children aged 2-11 are watching more and more television than they have in years. New findings from The Nielsen Company show kids aged 2-5 now spend more than 32 hours a week on average in front of a TV screen. The older segment of that group (ages 6-11) spend a little less time, about 28 hours per week watching TV, due in part that they are more likely to be attending school for longer hours.

This trend of increased viewing among children mirrors the overall increase in media consumption we’ve been tracking over the last two years across TV, Internet, Games and Mobile phones. And much like their older family members, the majority of viewing for these kids is still done watching live TV.

Very Early Adopters
While 97% of kids’ viewing is through live TV, younger kids spend more time than the older group viewing via DVR, DVD and, to a lesser extent, VCR. Four percent of kids aged 2-5 watch via those devices on average across total day compared to 2.3% for those aged 6-11. Their considerable use of these devices at a young age points to them being able to adopt new devices comfortably as they grow up.

One more thing younger kids do more than those age 6-11 is watch more commercials. Young kids also watch commercials in playback mode more than older kids and adults, as well as watch their favorite shows over and over and over on DVD, VOD and DVR.

Older kids may not use the DVR, DVD and VCR as much as the very young, but they spend twice as much time playing video games — 2 hours 23 minutes a week compared to 1 hour 12 minutes for those 2-5. Internet usage among older kids is also significantly higher as nearly half of kids 6-11 spent time on the Internet in August versus 20% of kids 2-5.

More proof that Boomers should be looked at by advertisers is Nielsen research from January which shows baby boomer households represented more than 50% of sales in 98 of 122 consumer packaged goods (CPG) product categories analyzed in a recent report by Nielsen and the Hallmark Channel.  That adds up to almost $200 billion in total sales in those categories.

In the New York Times today, Nielsen’s Howard Shimmel said, “Especially in this economy, with marketers’ budgets under so much stress, advertisers would prefer to spend dollars on today’s sales instead of thinking about establishing brand loyalty.”

Read the full article in the New York Times.

Dave Thomas, President, Global Media Client Services, The Nielsen Company

SUMMARY: Whoever said “content is king” was prescient. In today’s world, media is an on-demand experience with an array of platforms delivering rich content to on-the-go consumers via multiple devices. The fight for share of wallet is being played out on three screens: mobile, television and the Internet. So far, TV is winning.

Fact or Fiction?

A pioneering Video Consumer Mapping Study conducted on behalf of the Nielsen-funded Council for Research Excellence by the Ball State University Center for Media Design and Sequent Partners examined the current state of video media use by age group. Can you tell which of the following statements are true—or merely the media equivalent of ‘urban myths’?

No doubt about it, the media landscape has changed dramatically for consumers and advertisers alike. The tectonic plates of media options have shifted, and once-familiar terrain has experienced a radical make-over. There appears to be no upper limit on the public’s appetite for video, and the number of digital video alternatives, but three screens dictate the terms of entertainment: television, mobile devices and the Internet.

Apparently, cross-platform users opt for the “best screen available”, making their selection based on the quality of the screen experience, convenience, availability and schedule compatibility.

Timing is everything
At-home TV viewing recorded a remarkable 151+ hours per month for the typical Nielsen household in the last quarter of 2008. Internet users logged on for more than 27 viewing hours each month. Time-shifted TV viewing via devices like digital video recorders accounted for an additional 7+ hours per month—a 33% increase over the fourth quarter of 2007. Mobile subscribers consumed nearly four hours of video on a mobile phone and almost three hours looking at video on the Internet, thanks in large part to the Saturday Night Live candidate parodies posted on YouTube.

Channeling TV
Several unique attributes account for television’s preeminent position: the ability to capture attention, create awareness and convey novelty effectively even in a cluttered environment. Together, these features are largely responsible for TV outpacing Internet use by a factor of 10. TV actually benefits from cross-platform viewing behavior. When people access multiple screens, general TV viewing rises. Despite the growing popularity of time-shifted viewing, with 3 of 10 households owning a digital video recorder, live TV is still a clear favorite with video fans.

Economic indicators
Video aficionados continue to invest in home entertainment versus other areas, albeit at a lower level, according to Nielsen. Apparently, consumers can’t live without the small screen. Currently, 54% of U.S. households have one or two TVs, 25% have three TVs and 21% own four or more sets. Overall, 63% of survey respondents reported changed spending habits, with 26% purchasing fewer videos or on-demand and pay-per-view movies/events.

Video streamers
Who are the primary consumers of video? Nielsen research reveals an audience that is young (households with teens have the highest incidence of streaming and downloading video), wealthy (streaming and downloading increases with income and registers much higher among $60,000+ households), and Latin (Hispanic households are more than twice as likely to download movies).

African-American households are less than half as likely as the average to download a video clip or movie to their cell phone, but exactly half more likely to access the web via their mobile phone.

Popular portals
How do viewers access video? YouTube absolutely dominates video streaming with two-thirds of viewers accessing clips through that web site. Still, in the downloading game, networks pushed out video to 43% of the audience, followed by Google (28%), news and cable networks both at 22%.

Results for music rang a very positive note for iTunes which is an almost monolithic presence with a 60% share of music downloads. Competitors Rhapsody and Amazon each carved out just slightly more than 6% of music download sales.

Mobile eyes
Like TV, cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) enjoy unique points of difference that attract video viewers. Primarily, it’s ergonomic. The smaller screen provides a smaller visual field, requiring more concentration and focus to receive the message, which in turn bumps up retention. While the more emotional elements conveyed so well by TV may get lost—for example, it’s difficult to see facial expressions on a tiny screen—the speed and effectiveness of the medium more than compensate.

Web wise
The Internet poses an interesting marketing conundrum. It is both the least effective of the three screens for commanding attention and building awareness, and the most effective in the latter stages of selling—powerful in its ability to persuade viewers to take action. Fully 91% of households have Internet access and 57% of homes have high-speed connections.

A Nielsen Consumer Audit determined that one reason for the ubiquity of Internet connection might be that the average $37 per month Internet provider charge is approximately half the cost of cell phone and TV service. Internet access correlates positively with families of children younger than 18, better educated and higher income households.

Video villages
One emerging trend that holds high potential for advertisers seeking to build consumer relationships is the “telecommunity”. Telecommunities comprise people who simultaneously watch TV and chat real time online about the program. During the Oscar telecast, 11% of people who watched the Academy Awards were logged onto the Internet, which represents about four times more simultaneous usage than normal.

Telecommunity members who connected via Facebook during the Oscars were online for 76 minutes and watched 50% more of the broadcast than the average Academy Award viewer. Twitter.com reported more than 100,000 Oscar-related “tweets” during the broadcast, an astonishing 400 messages per minute. Teens are more likely than adults to embrace these kinds of multi-tasking multi-media connections.

Social networks
Two-thirds of the world Internet population participates in social networking or blogging sites. This utilization represents almost 10% of all Internet time around the world according to the Nielsen Global Faces and Networked Places report.

One in every 11 online minutes globally gets spent on social network sites like Facebook and MySpace. In Brazil, a young, Internet-savvy population has driven that number to a remarkable 1 in every 4 Internet minutes. In the U.K., social network activity accounts for 1 in every 6 minutes. But it’s not just a young person’s game. The fastest-growing segment of Facebook users are people age 35-49, and the site added twice as many 50-64 year-olds as under-18 year-olds last year.

Different strokes
All of which goes to prove the point that there is a medium suited to every budget, age, gender and personality, and that we can expect the convergence trend to continue apace. Happy viewing!

For More Information:

Home Internet Access in the U.S.
This Nielsen Company report on home Internet access aggregates data from several different sources including the national and local television panels, the quarterly Home Technology phone survey (through 3rd quarter, 2008), and the Nielsen Claritas 2008 Convergence Audit survey, which is a combination of internet and mail respondents. The report notes differences in Internet access by geography and a number of socio-economic factors. Contact us for a free copy of this report.

Streaming Trends and Drivers

Nielsen’s quarterly Home Technology Report takes a pulse on usage and behavior surrounding technology consumption for Americans. The survey covers penetration rates for both technology devices and services/subscriptions. In addition, the survey includes questions on future purchases and current usage habits. Download a free copy of the Streaming Trends and Drivers Report.

Three Screen Report
In its quarterly Three Screen report, Nielsen reported that Americans spent more time this quarter using the “Three Screens” than they did during the same time period last year. The report revealed updates on timeshifted viewing behavior and its relationship to online video viewing. Other insights revealed include the demographic breakdown of mobile video viewers, DVR penetration and streaming video usage.

This quarter, the A2/M2 Three Screen Report reveals that the average American watches more than 151 hours of TV per month, an all-time high.  They are also watching several hours of video on other devices: those who watch it on the Internet consume another 3 hours of online video per month, and those who use mobile video watch nearly 4 hours per month on mobile phones and other devices.

Non-Hispanic households continue to be more ready for the transition than Hispanic households, but the rate of Hispanic readiness is picking up. After seeing no change in unready Hispanic households from October to November, that percentage dropped from 12.4% to 11.5% in December.

Younger households remain the least ready, but this month has seen their strongest monthly surge in preparation, with unready households dropping from 10.6% in November to 9.9% in December.

In the 56 local markets with metered measurements, Albuquerque is the most unprepared market with 13% of households still completely unprepared.  Tulsa (12.65%), Houston (12.41%), Dallas-Ft. Worth (11.71%), and Salt Lake City (10.63%) are the next four on the list.

Hartford-New Haven is the most prepared of Nielsen’s 56 metered markets — with only 2.6% of households still in need of a digital upgrade.

View complete data on digital preparedness in Nielsen’s 56 top local metered markets.

As the February 17, 2009 digital transition approaches, Nielsen will continue to track the readiness of TV households in the U.S. 

Readiness data are based on TV sets and households in Nielsen’s National People Meter panel, which is representative of U.S. television households, and Nielsen’s local metered panels, which are representative of their respective television household populations.

View the media alert.

Read coverage of Nielsen’s findings in The Wall Street Journal, Broadcasting & Cable, The Hollywood Reporter, Multichannel News and The Coloradoan.