Why We Watch Television 2 Foreword

Why we watch television 2 Foreword

Television is facing Sony has a long tradition of But now, in the era of connected unprecedented leading and supporting the television and online video industry through transformation available on demand, it’s disruptive change. and technology innovation. possible to focus on the needs of the individual viewer. This report provides a personal Companies are placing big view to help inform the way we We’re all individuals, with different bets on new forms of video think about television and video. backgrounds, identities and distribution, without necessarily perspectives. understanding why people might It aims to address the apparently want to watch. simple question of why we watch We all have our own reasons for television. watching television and they vary There’s a popular perception that according to the viewing context. the traditional model of television It considers what we mean by is broken, but it’s far from clear television, what television means By studying the fundamental how it will be replaced. to us and how that might evolve. psychology and sociology of our behaviours as human beings, we To understand this transformation Television has typically provided can better understand why we of television, we really need to mass audiences with shared watch television, and how we appreciate the nature of the experiences. And it will continue may view in the future. medium, the needs it addresses to do so. and the ways it’s used. Dr William Cooper Media Consultant informitv

Why we watch television 3 Contents Introduction 4

Television features 7

Television research 17

Television viewing 23

Television evolution 33

Conclusions 39

Why we watch television 4 Introduction

What do we mean by The idea of television includes: These are now becoming television? absorbed into a wider domain of • The screen on which it’s video media, which can deliver generally seen many of the features we have traditionally associated with The very concept of what • The medium of broadcast, television. constitutes television is constantly one-to-many transmission evolving. We can now view high-quality • The channel for delivering online video on a handheld Television can no longer scheduled output screen. Whether we call that be defined by the way it’s television depends on what transmitted or the screen on • The form and format of we’re watching as much as how which it’s seen. programmes it’s delivered.

Although the way that television • The function of public service We still think in terms of reading a programmes are delivered and broadcasting book, whether we bought it from viewed are changing, we’re a bookshop, ordered it online, or spending more time watching • The business models of downloaded it to a tablet. video than ever. commercial and pay television The medium of television is Television is difficult to define, but • The regulation systems under determined as much by the form we know it when we see it. which it operates. of its programmes and the way they’re viewed as any particular delivery technology.

Why we watch television 5

What does television For decades, television has More than any other medium, mean to us? played a leading role in our lives. television can: Television is part of our popular culture. • talk to us

It’s become fashionable to Television opens a window that • look us in the eye assume that we’re now in a frames our view of the wider post-television era. Yet we world. • show us new things should be wary of premature proclamations of the death of Coverage of global events can • tell us extended stories television. bring the world together. It shows us things we would not otherwise • move us. Despite the ever-increasing see and provides a context for availability of online video on our own experience. Watching television allows us to demand, the vast majority of our express our emotions, to laugh viewing is still of programming It provides an important public out loud, or have a good cry. delivered over traditional and social service. It offers us channels, seen on a television a constant companion and a Television is also often simply part screen. sense of connection to the wider of the background while we’re world. doing other things.

Why we watch television 6

How will television There’s a prevalent view that we New ways of viewing are likely to evolve? will all want to watch whatever displace, but not entirely replace, we want, wherever we want, the function of television. whenever we want. However programmes are Some might argue that television, Yet we still want to watch delivered, we’ll still see them on the dominant medium of the late programmes that other people a screen and we’ll probably think twentieth century, is in inevitable watch. It’s an experience that we of them as television. decline and will be displaced want to share with others, even if by other forms of video viewing we’re viewing alone. Other forms of online video enabled by new digital networks. and social media will address Many of us watch television in some of our needs. But there’ll With rare exceptions, fewer much the same way as we ever still be a place for scheduled people are watching any did, largely through habit. programming, and in particular particular programme at the live broadcasting. same time. In fact, many of our underlying behaviours remain the same, Rather than viewing other Much is made of new delivery driven by the same fundamental forms of video as a threat to technologies establishing human needs. It’s just that traditional television, we should different viewing patterns. they manifest themselves in see them as a way of adapting apparently different ways. and extending the television We can now watch programmes experience to fit the way we live at our convenience, but the our lives. impact of this is often overstated.

Why we watch television 7 Television features Television offer 8 Convenient viewing 13

Viewing context 9 Live or recorded 14

Ambient media 10 Direct address 15

Constant flow 11 Unseen observer 16

Available to view 12

Why we watch television 8 Television offer

The main promise of These all have different For all those that watch less, television, its premise characteristics, making them there are those that watch even more or less open to substitution more. and value proposition, by different modes of distribution is that there’ll always and competing activities. The range and quality of programmes that we can now be something new to Television remains relatively access is incredible. watch. cheap, virtually unlimited, entertainment. Once the poor relation to movies, television dramas are It’s an effortless all you can eat increasingly epic in cinematic Whether we can actually find buffet that never runs out. It’s scope and ambition, extending something we want to watch is food for thought. over many seasons. another matter. Watching television is our most Sound and vision reproduction is The overall output has broad popular pastime. For many of us higher fidelity than ever. appeal, whether it’s free to it’s our default leisure activity. It’s view or through a subscription, what we do when we’re not doing In many ways, television has however it’s delivered, to something else. never been better. It offers more whatever screen. choice, higher production values, On average we watch for about better sound and pictures, and Television covers multiple genres, a day a week, a seventh of our more ways of watching. from factual to fictional, from live lives. events to recorded drama.

Why we watch television Viewing context 9

The typical marketing Yet this isn’t how we generally If anything, we take television for picture of people watch television. granted. watching television If we’re holding a remote control The more viewing options we shows a happy family we’re probably looking for have, the less we feel compelled something to watch. to gather around a single screen. group, with someone excitedly pointing a These days we’re as likely to be Watching television is generally a holding a phone or a tablet and discretionary, substitutable leisure remote control at the looking for something else to do. activity. screen. Once the focal point of the living We don’t have to watch room, the television screen no television. It’s an amenity rather longer commands our complete than a utility. They’ll often be eating popcorn attention. from a bowl while watching a We could do other things to pass movie, or punching the air in Television is still a feature of the time. That includes other support of a favourite sports most homes. We acknowledge forms of media that compete for team. its presence and live our lives our attention. around it, like a family pet. So why do we watch television?

Why we watch television 10 Ambient media

Television is an ambient Of course a noisy programme It was always like that. It just used medium that fills the that we’re not interested in can to be knitting or the newspaper. be distracting, intrusive, or even room with sights and a reason to change channel, We now have more screens in sounds. It’s there with us switch off or leave the room. our homes, including phones and tablets that can compete whenever it’s switched Television frequently provides directly for our attention. on, whether we’re really the background for other things we’re doing. They offer features that have watching or not. similar properties and meet Although this is often referred to similar needs: games, social as multitasking, we’re actually media and other online services. The continuity and familiarity rapidly switching our attention of television reassures us. It can from one thing to another. These could erode television be comforting, like having viewing. Although of course they someone else with us, providing A lot of the time we’re really only can also be done at the same companionship, much like radio. half watching or half listening. time.

Sound is generally as important The obvious advantages of a They’re also equally capable of as pictures in holding our fixed screen, other than size, are showing video, so can potentially attention, or enabling us to that it can be easily watched substitute for the living room follow a programme while we do by more than one person and screen. something else. allows us to do other things at the same time.

Why we watch television Constant flow 11

Television programmes There’s always a sense that we Digital video recorders and are always delivered may be missing something by not online services now enable us watching. to tame the torrent of countless at a constant rate, channels flowing to our screens. irrespective of content Television encourages us to keep watching or channel hopping in We can pause a programme, or context. the hope of something interesting or catch up on a show we may that we might otherwise not see. have missed, but there’s still a sense that television output will Television flows over us and will With countless channels running carry on regardless, in a relentless continue to do so until the end around the clock, there’s too flow. of a programme. Then there’ll be much television, yet it can still another one to watch.1 be difficult to find something to The same can be seen in social watch. media. A constant flow of Television constantly appeals for updates feeds our appetite for our attention. It appears to offer We often seem to watch novelty and our fear of missing limitless novelty. television as an activity, rather out. The desire to keep up to than any particular programme. date becomes an activity in itself. It never ends. It’s never used up. The selection of what to watch is sometimes secondary.

Why we watch television 12 Available to view

Our viewing is largely It differs by country, climate and So we tend to decide what to determined by our culture, but otherwise we watch watch based on our mood and about the same amount of the time available. availability. This varies by television irrespective of what’s the time of day and day on. We typically prioritise watching current programmes on the of the week, based on It’s not so much that we watch basis that we don’t want to miss our lifestyle and other particular programmes as something new. television itself. commitments. We fit our viewing into the rhythm We seek something to watch of our lives, as if making efficient from the available alternatives use of our spare time. It’s also seasonal. We watch vying for our viewing time and more in the winter months of attention. ‘I’ll watch this before I go to bed.’ long dark evenings and less in the summer, when the warmer weather encourages us outdoors.

Why we watch television Convenient viewing 13

Television has become The more commitment we make Many services offer a bewildering much more convenient to a viewing choice, the more array of titles. The experience is likely we are to watch and enjoy rather like wandering through to use. There are now a programme in its entirety. the aisles in a vast virtual video many more ways store, with only the cover art As it becomes easier to choose and a brief synopsis to inform our to watch television what to watch, we might expect choice. programmes. our appreciation of television to increase. Irrespective of the selection available, we may not know Despite the availability of digital what to pick. We can watch more flexibly and video recorders and catch-up even more efficiently, whether its television services, only a Since we can always watch live or recorded, on demand or minority of all viewing is currently something another time, we may online, on different screens. on demand, although the defer it for another day, perhaps proportion continues to rise. indefinitely. We can be more discerning in our viewing choices, watching The choice and convenience So we can end up feeling less more of what we want on our now available is only valuable if satisfied and resort to our old own terms. we know what we want to watch. favourites.

Why we watch television 14 Live or recorded

The distinction between Relatively little of the television Recorded programming is more live and recorded that’s viewed is really live, taking amenable to being distributed place at the same time that and viewed on demand. programming is critical. we’re watching. Yet a recorded programme offers This live characteristic is typical a different experience, which The television industry tends of certain genres: news, sport, may not be as pleasurable as to talk about live viewing in weather, events, and some watching in the virtual company terms of watching at the time entertainment shows. of a large audience. Like of transmission, or even on the yesterday’s newspaper, it loses its same day as broadcast. These programmes carefully currency and relevance. create the sense of being Much of this programming may spontaneous. They naturally tend Drama series are typically less actually be pre-recorded, rather toward being viewed at the topical. They may benefit from than really live. time of transmission, or shortly viewing multiple episodes in a afterwards. single session. Even programming that’s broadcast live generally contains The impression of a shared, recorded elements. simultaneous experience lies at the heart of much television viewing.

Why we watch television Direct address 15

A frequent feature of This form of direct address partly This uniquely televisual form of television programming fulfils our human desire for social address, inherited from radio, has contact and connection. It its roots in the way we naturally is that it seems to provides a surrogate for personal communicate. speak to us personally, social interaction. It seems intimate. We feel involved. Sustained direct address has typically with direct eye rarely been used in other moving contact and a sense of We’re hard-wired to respond to a picture forms, such as cinema. face looking straight at us, which immediacy. makes it difficult to ignore. The powerful illusion of direct communication is strongest when We can experience more eye it’s taking place at the time we’re It attracts our attention and contact with people on television watching. appears to acknowledge our than our family or friends. presence, as if the face on the When recorded it becomes a screen is talking to us. Even when it’s not looking at us, visual convention. We intuitively television is often talking to us. sense that the person isn’t really speaking directly to us.

Why we watch television 16 Unseen observer

The main dramatic This supports more complex News, for instance, combines mode of television narratives, through changes in presenters and reporters telling us viewpoint, in time and space. By what is has happened with other presentation involves us hiding the means of production it sound and pictures presented as as an unseen observer, allows the creation of a coherent evidence. story world. unacknowledged by Sports coverage typically allows those on screen. We’re a witness to events, which us to participate as an unseen appeals to our natural curiosity. spectator, providing multiple perspectives to give us a better This approach is used in many view than if we were actually at This dramatic convention television genres, from fiction to the event. maintains the invisible fourth wall factual. of the traditional proscenium Narrative fiction generally theatre, as developed by Of course, some formats may mix conforms to this convention mainstream movies. direct address and the invisible of the unseen observer. Such observer for effect. stories do not depend on the live The camera placement and nature of television and are more editing serve to stitch us into the amenable to being viewed on scene in such a way that both demand. we and the camera appear invisible.

Why we watch television 17 Television research Viewing figures 18

Consuming television 19

Television studies 20

Industry research 21

Reasons for viewing 22

Why we watch television 18 Viewing figures

The television industry They’re mainly concerned with For this reason most platforms spends a lot of time measuring audiences in broad don’t share any detailed data. socio-demographic groups. At most they may talk about and money trying numbers of views. to measure what Even the industry definition of watching television is So we still know relatively little people watch, but not problematic: being in the room about online viewing behaviour, necessarily why. with the television switched on. or watching television in general. This says little about emotional or intellectual engagement.2 Much of what we know about television viewing seems There’s a great deal of Audience appreciation research self-evident. Or those in the advertising revenue at stake, attempts to measure the appeal industry feel that it’s intuitively but it’s based on extraordinary of programmes but not why understood. assumptions about who’s people watch them. watching. Yet the question of why people New platforms can measure might want to watch a particular Statistical panel approaches in considerable detail what programme, genre, or television can be valuable in establishing individual users are actually in general, seems fundamental. ratings but they have their watching, for exactly how long. limitations. For such a large business, it’s This provides an incredible been subjected to very little competitive advantage to rigorous research. service providers.

Why we watch television Consuming television 19

We don’t consume This makes it difficult for viewers We might assume that the reason television content. We to attribute value to a television we want to watch television is programme. all about the programmes, the watch programmes, characters, the storytelling, the shows, events, or The concept of the television subject matter, or the content. viewer as a consumer recognises television in general. that as viewers we have active Yet it seems to be more about choices in where to spend our the experience of watching than time and money. the substance of the programme. Television is not consumed like food or drink. It’s still available This is an advance on the The programme may simply be for others to watch when we’ve traditional assumption of a a proxy for some other, deeper, finished. It seems like it’s there passive member of an assumed social or psychological need. anyway, whether we choose to audience. But it doesn’t reflect watch or not. that television viewing is a social, Watching television is all about emotional experience. the way it makes us feel—our emotional response.

Why we watch television 20 Television studies

Television viewing This has its roots in attempts to Above this comes a need for can be studied from understand the radio audience social belonging, a sense of self in the 1940s.3 It was first applied and self-respect. a psychological, to television in the 1960s.4 sociological or Once these are met, there’s a It assumes that people aren’t need for self-actualisation or anthropological passive consumers of media but achieving personal potential.5 perspective. play an active role in interpreting media and using it in their lives. So one way to appreciate why we watch television is to look It focusses on how people use at the social and emotional A well-established approach media to satisfy specific needs. needs that it fulfils in us as human is based on understanding beings. so-called uses and gratifications. If we consider a basic hierarchy of human needs, at the bottom Television does more than are basic biological and physical inform, educate or entertain. It requirements, followed by the contributes to our sense of self need for security and safety. and social connection.

Why we watch television Industry research 21

More recent industry 3. Connect: a sense of ‘plugging Video on demand is better at research has attempted in’—to feel a sense of meeting the need to escape connection to society, to time or indulge and the viewers are to understand why we or to place more likely to be watching alone. watch television. 4. Experience: a need for fun The research concludes that live and a sense of occasion to be television remains important for shared viewers who want to feel that One study offers six reasons they are sharing a television based on different need states:6 5. Escape: the desire to be taken experience with the outside on an enjoyable journey to world. 1. Unwind: defer life’s chores or another time and place de-stress from the pressures of Industry-sponsored research the day 6. Indulge: satisfying your generally fails to acknowledge (typically guilty) pleasures with that we often watch television 2. Comfort: shared family time; personal favourites, usually out of force of habit or social togetherness, rituals, familiarity alone. compulsion. and routine The research suggests that when We may not even realise why we a particular need is satisfied want to watch television. viewers become relaxed.

Why we watch television 22 Reasons for viewing

Asking people why they That’s certainly part of it, a We may sanitise our viewing watch television isn’t socially safe answer. There’s no by talking about certain shame in seeking relaxation or programmes, while watching particularly useful. We entertainment. But there are others that might be considered might not necessarily many other ways to relax or less socially acceptable. occupy our time. know, recognise or We’re more conscious of want to admit the We’re less likely to say we watch our considered choices of because we are lonely or bored. programmes. real reasons, either to themselves or others. We’re generally unreliable in So we tend to over report our reporting our behaviour. time-shifted or on-demand viewing. We naturally tend to reflect the We tend to proffer preferred or personal importance that we Yet much of what we watch isn’t socially acceptable answers. attach to particular types of so considered. It’s often more of programme, rather than our a compromise. We might say we watch television overall viewing. for relaxation or entertainment. We might struggle to remember what we watched last night or last week, especially if it wasn’t an active choice.

Why we watch television 23 Television viewing Family viewing 24 Peer pressure 29

Gender and genre 25 Brain waves 30

Generational difference 26 Active viewers 31

Individual viewers 27 Viewing habits 32

Personal identity 28

Why we watch television 24 Family viewing

Watching with others is We don’t all necessarily get to In some cases there may be a still an important part of watch what we want, when we dominant party who generally want. gets to choose what to watch the television and video and command the remote experience for many of In the same way we don’t always control. get to eat or drink whatever we us. want, whenever we want. It may Sometimes it may be a more not be good for our health or negotiated experience. relationships. Some shows still bring families ‘What shall we watch?’ together, in the same way they We sometimes concede to the have done for generations. viewing preferences of others. Shared viewing may involve a compromise, the lowest common Television also provides a pretext This is an important element denominator or the least for spending time together. It’s a of the family dynamic or offensive option. reason to be in the same room relationship between partners. at the same time, or simply to sit But it gives us a reason to be with next to someone. family or friends—something to talk about and share.

Why we watch television Gender and genre 25

Men and women His sport. Her soaps. Most of us watch relatively less often view television of our preferred genre than we While the audiences may skew, might like to think. in different ways. Their men and women tend to watch emotional and social both. We each have our favourite programmes, but most of us needs tend to differ, by Sport accounted for less than a don’t only watch television for a cultural convention if tenth of all television viewing in single show. the United Kingdom in 2014. not biology. Television fulfils a wider set of Drama, including series, serials needs. and films made up just over a For some men, television may be quarter of viewing.7 Some of these needs are more all about live sport. suited to scheduled viewing. Our television viewing generally Some women may be more reflects a range of programme Others needs are better satisfied interested in episodic drama. types. by watching programmes at our convenience.

Why we watch television 26 Generational difference

There’s a popular view They’re more likely to watch on Some research suggests that that young people a phone or tablet. That may be younger cohorts of viewers because they prefer the privacy do return to television, but not simply don’t watch of watching on a more personal necessarily to the same degree 9 traditional television any screen. Or it may simply be that as previous generations. they don’t have access to a more. large living room television. Young people are likely to have developed different expectations They seem less concerned of media that become Younger people tend to watch about the forms and norms of permanent. less anyway. This has always traditional television. been the case. But they seem to However, it may be more a be watching less than before.8 For them it’s all about instant matter of life stage. gratification. The idea of waiting There’s increasing evidence that a week to watch a programme People are moving into their own a new generation of viewers is appears preposterous. They’re homes and forming families later watching differently. more likely to want to watch in life. several episodes in succession. When they grow up and have If they’ve not acquired an early children, this generation may habit of watching scheduled become more like their parents television the way their parents than they might wish to imagine. did, they may never do so.

Why we watch television Individual viewers 27

The consequence For some people, watching Around half of viewing of the two of wanting to watch television may provide their main main BBC television networks in social contact. the United Kingdom is by people whatever, wherever, over sixty years old.10 whenever we want is We’re all destined to get older and we’re living longer. The idea of watching television that we’re more likely to by yourself is not a popular be watching alone. Older people are more likely to image. There’s a stigma live alone, particularly women. attached, like eating or drinking alone. After all, television is As we get older we have more promoted as a shared, social Many of us watch programmes time to view and therefore experience. alone. For some it’s a private generally watch more television. indulgence, a temporary refuge, The more we watch alone, the or a way to pass the time on a So older viewers tend to be over more important the sense of a long journey or regular commute. represented in the television shared experience becomes. audience in terms of total We view video as an increasingly viewing time. personal experience, rather than as part of an assumed mass audience.

Why we watch television 28 Personal identity

What we think or say Even to deny watching television What we watch becomes part we watch and what we is an assertion of identity. of our collective and individual experience, our sense of self, actually watch can be It’s always been fashionable to who we are and what we know. very different. disparage television. It’s hardly surprising given that we For some people, the idea of watch so much. watching television is almost Saying that we watch a socially embarrassing. It’s In the course of a decade some particular programme is a something that other people do. of us might watch over a year personal statement about our and half of television. That’s more sense of identity. It’s part of the So we tend to be rather selective than ten whole years over an personal brand that we project in the programmes we talk about. average lifetime. to the world. That leads to greater word Like the car that we drive or the of mouth awareness of clothes that we wear, it says programmes that are perceived something about us and our as socially acceptable, which personal set of social values. makes them even more popular.

Why we watch television Peer pressure 29

We watch television There’s an element of fashion ‘Did you see that programme?’ partly because other and fandom in television viewing. Not having had the same people watch television. Our television viewing: experience can lead to a fear or feeling of social exclusion. • Tells us about the world and Television helps us to fit in—to our how it’s structured That can in itself become a tribe, to society. It teaches us how reason to watch a particular to conform, from an early age. • Provides a sense of belonging programme. to a community or culture Most of us want to be popular We don’t want to feel left out of and tend to associate ourselves • Shapes our aspirations and the conversation. with things that are generally contributes to social cohesion admired. With the increased use of social • Allows us to experience real media it can seem all the Some people want to be and imaginary lives more important to conform, to different and therefore value integrate, to participate in the things that are more esoteric. • Offers a shared experience in a popular discourse. relatively safe environment Television can embrace both the We want to watch programmes popular and the idiosyncratic. • Provides a topic of as soon as possible in order to conversation. avoid spoilers revealing results or storylines.

Why we watch television 30 Brain waves

Our basic behaviours Our senses stimulate neurons in While watching we’re generally are driven by the the reward pathway to release warm and safe with no need to the chemical neurotransmitter worry about immediate danger. processes in the brain dopamine that gives us a feeling that are responsible for of pleasure as a reward for doing We fall into a suggestive state something we like. and willingly suspend our keeping us alive, like disbelief. making us want to eat It also enables the brain to create a memory that associates Our viewing experience and drink. the experience with feeling good. contributes to our knowledge of the world. This encourages us to repeat the We’re only beginning to discover experience whenever possible. Memories of the things we see on what goes on in our brains when the screen seem almost real. we watch television. Television, video, and moving images in general, fulfil a Even if we find it difficult to recall Neuroscience is unravelling the subconscious biological desire something that we’ve watched it real reasons that we appear to to make connections, to seek makes an impression. enjoy watching television. information and patterns in our environment. Advertisers recognise this, which The reward pathway in our brains is why television remains a drives our feelings of motivation, Our comprehension of moving powerful medium for brand reward and behaviour. images appears to operate building and promoting automatically, without conscious awareness. effort.

Why we watch television Active viewers 31

Television is sometimes At other times our viewing is Where are we? What are we portrayed as a passive peripheral. It’s enough to hear looking at? What just happened? the sound and occasionally What will happen next? experience, but viewing glance at the screen. video is actually an Television formats are often Television occupies our minds, based on a mixture of familiarity active cognitive even if we’re doing something and surprise. process that engages else at the time. Watching television sets up these the mind at many levels. It’s sufficiently demanding to powerful reward mechanisms distract us from our routine reality. that draw us in and encourage us to watch more. Sometimes we’re more actively Yet watching television doesn’t engaged in what we are feel like hard work. For some people television is watching, giving it our full used as reward mechanism. attention. To the extent that we’re watching It’s an inexpensive treat that and listening, moving images apparently does no harm, unlike constantly pose questions. snacks, alcohol, or tobacco.

Why we watch television 32 Viewing habits

We still watch television This is central to the medium of The daily and weekly schedule in very similar ways television as opposed to video in and viewing seasons provide a general. structure for our viewing and the to how we did years perception of a simultaneously ago, partly through Our viewing behaviour has been shared experience. trained over many decades and conditioning. generations. Despite the vast choice, many of us still select from a limited range We watch television because of familiar channels. Many of our activities are based we’re told to, through constant around habitual, sometimes promotions and calls to action, We look forward to our favourite arbitrary, routines. Television is no and through the implicit pressure programmes. Anticipation is an different. to keep up with what others are important part of the reward watching. cycle. Television is habit forming. The more we watch, the more we The narrative structure of drama We might think we want to want to watch. series and serials tends to watch whatever we want, but demand sequential viewing and without the ordered output of Broadcasters work hard to provides a powerful incentive to broadcasters most people would establish and sustain these watch the next episode. simply not know what to watch. behaviours and viewing patterns.

Why we watch television 33 Television evolution Anytime, anywhere 34

Personal preferences 35

Playing out 36

Publishing 37

Fidelity 38

Why we watch television 34 Anytime, anywhere

We often hear that There’s a limit to how much The more apparent control we we want to be able we really want to decide for have in our lives, and the greater ourselves. It takes effort. So we our availability to view, the to watch whatever, may still end up deferring to less fixated we may be about whenever, wherever we others. controlling things like what we watch on television. want. If anything, we tend to watch the same things that other people So for a young adult establishing watch. his or her identity, the apparent However, even if technology and ability to choose whatever you media rights allow this, we will not By default, we prefer to watch want to watch may feel like an always want to watch television something similar to something important freedom. this way. we have previously enjoyed. An older person, with other things Viewing time shifted or on Familiar faces, characters, to worry about, might prefer the demand breaks the sense celebrities and personalities relative comfort of regular routine of a simultaneously shared guide our viewing choices. viewing. experience that’s often part of the appeal of a television We take our cues from programme. trusted brands, personal recommendations, or the social Paradoxically, the more choice validation of the wisdom of we have, the harder it seems to crowds—other people like it so it choose something.11 must be good.

Why we watch television Personal preferences 35

An important function There’s a common assumption The idea that a system can of any television service that personalisation is the answer predict our personal preferences to everything. may even be perceived as rather is to provide some disconcerting. guidance on what to This is the view that the perfect television service would know We want to feel that we’re watch. exactly what we want to watch personally choosing what to and offer it to our personal watch. preferences. This doesn’t necessarily imply So traditional trails, marketing, some technical form of But often we don’t know what we public relations and media recommendation based on our want to watch. coverage remain important in stated or implied preferences promoting programmes, creating or the choices or behaviour of We like to think our choices awareness and interest. others. are more individual and less predictable than perhaps they Programmes can be available It might be as much about the are. on demand, but that demand channel brand, scheduling and has to be created. conventional marketing. We also like to feel a sense of serendipity or discovery.

Why we watch television 36 Playing out

The technology of Yet the system of commissioning A lot of television output has a television transmission and regulation provides some very short shelf life. Television is a guarantee of consistency and topical, ephemeral medium. has shaped its cultural quality. It takes some of the form as a mass responsibility for deciding what is Online catch-up services allow appropriate and acceptable to us to watch programmes that we entertainment medium. watch. might otherwise miss.

The channel schedule helps Yet some programmes genres are The need to fill the schedule with organise the viewing experience, less suited to viewing on demand programmes that will appeal to building habit and loyalty. or a long time after they’re a broad audience at the same broadcast. time has characterised television It makes it easier for us to output for decades. watch programmes, by limiting The challenge for television choice and providing currency, channels is to continue to In this world of television, other even if we watch at our own address large audiences in real people decide what we can convenience. time, while providing a more watch and when. personal experience to individual As viewers become more users. That may seem rather restrictive. discerning and discriminating about what they watch, there’ll be less opportunity for some types of programme that currently fill the schedules.

Why we watch television Publishing 37

Recorded programming The publishing business has Publishers can use data from provides a different existed for hundreds of years. actual users to inform their Now it seems anyone can business. experience to live become a publisher. television. They can build a personal It’s becoming easier to produce relationship with real people and and distribute high quality video, provide a product or service directly to the viewer. that’s tailored for a particular Publication involves making target market. material available for distribution The barriers to entry have never so that it can be viewed on been lower. This enables direct payment and demand on diverse devices and subscription models that are less displays. There’s less need to reach a large reliant upon advertising revenue. audience at a particular time. This need not necessarily involve Attracting an audience remains the traditional model of television What matters more is the a challenge. Just because commissioning and production, relevance to each individual something is available to view or regulation. potential viewer. on demand doesn’t mean we’ll necessarily know about it or want The total addressable market is to watch. much larger, as is the potential cumulative audience.

Why we watch television 38 Fidelity

Broadcasters are People’s expectations are rising The quality of video on handheld no longer the sole as a result of rapid changes in displays is getting better and consumer electronics technology. better, competing with the living gatekeepers to room screen. television and video From superior sound to increased clarity in vision, we now expect Our window on the world is wider technical standards. continuous improvement in the and clearer than ever and we quality of experience. have more windows to look through. Online services can be more We want and expect television agile in adapting to change, to be bigger and better, with The sounds and images without having to maintain multichannel sound and more television presents provide an compatibility with a large accurate rendition of colour, light increasingly powerful illusion of a population of legacy devices. and shade. representation of reality.

Broadcasters and television Large screens are getting larger These screens can now provide a service providers need to and higher in definition. truly cinematic experience. continue to invest in their platforms to remain relevant. We have more screens in the Whether we call it television, home. video, or a movie, it’s a more Television cannot afford to rest on engaging and immersive its tradition. It needs to improve experience, which makes its proposition. it all the more powerful and compelling.

Why we watch television 39 Conclusions Definition 40

Meaning 41

Opportunity 42

Value 43

Why we watch television 40 Definition

Television isn’t a single Other programmes, particularly The forms and features of coherent experience. It narrative forms, may be more programme formats are being amenable to being viewed at reproduced outside traditional consists of a complex our convenience. television. mix of modes, genres Many aspects of what we think The function of public service and forms. of as television can be better broadcasting provides no served by other means. particular guarantee of quality or originality. We tend to watch television Our view of television is changing. as an activity. The choice of New subscription video services programme may be secondary. Television is not defined by the are beginning to complement display on which it’s watched. or substitute established Television has substantial commercial and pay television strengths as a distribution The means of distribution isn’t business models. system, but it also has structural necessarily limited to broadcast weaknesses. transmission. Television viewing is not exclusively subject to broadcast There are certain experiences Scheduled channels have regulation and legislation. that only live television, directly lost their effective monopoly addressing the viewer, can on the delivery of television We can no longer define deliver. programmes. television by screen, medium, channel, form, function, business or regulation.

Why we watch television Meaning 41

Television is ultimately As the mass television audience There’s a continuing role for: defined by what it disintegrates into individual viewers, we become more • Live television and direct means to its viewers. critical and discriminating. address presentation

We have increasingly high • Broadcast distribution, both Television programming remains expectations of television. We for live events and popular an important part of our lives, expect to be able to stream and programming however much we watch. download programmes and watch them at our convenience. • Scheduled programmes and We shouldn’t underestimate the events promoted to appeal to social and emotional importance Yet the ritual of watching a mass audience. of television. television remains remarkably resilient to change. We still watch Television will mean more to its Traditional television fulfils our the vast majority of video on a viewers but traditional channels basic need for company, social television screen. will still be seen as the best connection and participation in way to watch new and live a shared experience. Broadcast and on-demand programmes. distribution are co-dependent It talks to us, tells us stories, and and complementary. They’re gives us something to talk about. simply different channels of distribution, with distinct advantages.

Why we watch television 42 Opportunity

We should view new It means continuing to produce Service providers have always ways of watching as an and promote new programmes thought of viewers as customers, and live events that people want but rather than considering opportunity. to watch. subscribing households as revenue generating units, they The future of television will be need to appeal to individuals, Rather than denial or despair secured by quality rather than wherever they may be watching. of unavoidable decline, the quantity, while online networks rational response to disruption will deliver virtually infinite choice. New screens create new viewing and displacement is to adapt opportunities, increasing and innovate. As the choice and convenience available time to view, watching of viewing increases, the skills in different contexts: on the train, Successful media organisations that broadcasters have learnt during lunchtime at work, or in will embrace competition by over decades to enable them to bed. It’s our time, not just prime building on their strengths and attract a mass audience remain time. core competencies. valuable. We’ll end up watching less That means delivering the highest The biggest challenge for existing traditional television but valuing possible sound and picture channels is to think not of a our viewing more. If anything, quality to any screen, particularly massive passive audience, but our overall video viewing will the largest one in the home. in terms of valued individuals increase. with their own needs and shared interests.

Why we watch television Value 43

We all have different We don’t always know what we We want to be comforted by reasons to watch want to watch, or why we watch familiar faces and voices. what we do. television. We enjoy regular routines and Television can engage us like no anticipating variations on other medium, or it can be on in experiences that we previously Television and video viewing the background. enjoyed. appeal to us in diverse ways and fulfil different functions at various The value of the television As we progress through life we’ll times. experience is that there’s always have more reasons to appreciate something new to watch, that’s a wider range of programmes. We only have to look at the many comfortably familiar. types of programme we watch The best programmes will be to see that television addresses Television channel schedules bigger and better than ever. And distinct emotional and social provide a valuable service in we’ll still want to see them on the needs. helping to organise our viewing biggest screen in the house. and co-ordinate it with others. Some of these needs can be The future of television remains best met through traditional As individuals we value a sense to be seen. One way or another, television channels. of connection and community we’ll still be watching television through our viewing experiences. for many years to come. Others needs will be better delivered on demand—when we We also want to feel valued as know what we’re looking for. individual viewers, to feel that television is there for us.

Why we watch television 44 Notes

1. Raymond Williams popularised 7. Ofcom, The Communications Market the concept of ‘flow’ in relation to Report 2015. Based on BARB research, the viewing experience in Television: total hours of viewing per year by all Technology and Cultural Form, published individuals aged 4+. in 1974. 8. Ofcom, The Communications Market 2. BARB, the Broadcasters Audience Report 2015. Daily television viewing in Research Board for the United Kingdom, the United Kingdom by those aged 4-15 defines viewing as being “present in a declined by 22% between 2010 and 2014. room with a television set switched on”. 9. BBC Audiences research on BARB data 3. Herta Herzog studied the reasons that by age cohort, 2015. people listened to American radio soap operas in 1944. 10. BBC Trust, Review of BBC television, published in 2014. 4. Jay Blumler and Denis McQuail studied the reasons that people watched 11. Barry Schwartz explored consumer political programmes in terms of uses choice in The Paradox of Choice: Why and gratifications. more is less, published in 2004.

5. Abraham Maslow first proposed his ‘hierarchy of needs’ in 1943, developed in Motivation and Personality, published in 1953.

6. Thinkbox, Screen Life: TV in demand, published in 2013.

Why we watch television We all have our own reasons to watch television 45

Why we watch television About the author

Dr William Cooper Media Consultant informitv

William has extensive experience in understanding how and why we watch television.

After starting out as a broadcast journalist, he continued his media interests as an academic researcher. His PhD in Communications explored the ‘video literacy’ we all use in watching television.

William went on become Head of New Media Operations at the BBC, where he was operationally responsible for online and interactive television services.

He then established a consultancy specialising in internet and television convergence, advising clients worldwide.

With over 25 years of experience in delivering innovative market-leading products for both professionals and consumers, Sony is uniquely placed to understand and shape the way we experience audio and video.

Our systems integration division offers customers access to the expertise and local knowledge of skilled professionals across Europe.

Collaborating with a network of established technology partners, Sony delivers end-to-end solutions that address the needs of the customer, integrating software and systems to achieve each organisation’s individual business goals.

Contact Sony Professional Solutions Europe to discuss how to evolve your media workflows and optimise your video distribution to realise the transformation of television viewing.