Forecast: Media Consumption To Hit 50 Hrs In 2017

Global consumer media usage & exposure - including all digital and traditional media combined - grew an estimated 2.6% to an average of 49.1 hours per week (HPW) in 2016, according to new research from PQ Media. Overall consumer time spent with media worldwide is projected to increase 2.1% in 2017, surpassing an average of 50 HPW for the first time, according to PQ Media’s Global Consumer Media Usage & Exposure Forecast 2016-20.

“Media is becoming more addictive due to the growth of digital devices that provide 24/7 access to content, which is the primary driver behind the continued expansion of global media consumption. The on-demand pull versus the appointment push equation has shifted significantly and that has changed the type of content being consumed,” said PQ Media President Patrick Quinn. “In general, consumers no longer care as much about in-depth news reports and full-length television programs. Instead, they crave snippets of information and entertainment - from the infographic to the viral video clip - because many just can’t wait to get to the next media byte.”

In the US, the world’s largest media market, overall consumer time spent with media grew an estimated 1.9% to 70.4 HPW in 2016. US consumer media usage & exposure is expected to increase 1.2% in 2017. Similar to the global trend, mobile media is driving growth in overall media consumption at the expense of online media in the US, as consumers shift to smartphones and tablets from desktop and laptop computers, particularly the younger i-Gen and Millennial generations.

Patrick Quinn

Digital media usage & exposure grew an estimated 9.2% in 2016 to 25.3 HPW, accounting for 35.9% of overall time spent with media in the US, up from 24.7% five years earlier, PQ Media found. Mobile video, mobile audio, and mobile books, directories & databases were the three fastest-growing digital media channels, as mobile video benefited from telecoms offering more megabytes at lower fees and mobile audio enjoyed more younger demos signing up for subscription services.

US internet media use fell for the third straight year in 2016, with major headwinds coming from declines in online social media, online audio, and online search & email. The bright spot in online media consumption was that two of the three largest channels – online video and gaming – both posted growth years in 2016. Other digital media channels, including OTT video and DOOH media, posted another solid growth year, with OTT video consumption getting a boost from the expansion of streaming video services offering original content.

Traditional media usage & exposure in the US decreased 1.8% in 2016 to 45.1 HPW, although the decline in print media usage was not as steep as in prior years, due to interest in the major political campaigns. Newspaper and single-copy magazine reading also declined in 2016, while print books were the only traditional media to post a gain for the year, fueled by the adult trade category. Live TV remained the most used media platform in the US with consumers viewing an average of 21.8 HPW, according to PQ Media's Global Consumer Media Usage & Exposure Forecast 2016-20.

In the US, the Greatest Generation topped all generations with total media usage of 90.7 HPW on average in 2016, a 3% increase over the prior year, followed by Gen-X with average HPW of 84.9, and Baby Boomers with average HPW of 83.7, according to PQ Media. Gen-X led all generations in total digital media usage & exposure in 2016, with an average of 32.83 HPW, while digital media usage by Millennials grew the fastest at 12.1% over the prior year.