Network TV · Eyeballs crashing but TV ads still work

Jeff Jarvis has looked at a new IBM study (he hat tips Om Malik) of (First World) media use.

• TV networks’ share of online TV viewing is only about 33 percent, below YouTube and barely ahead of Google and social networks in the U.S. — and the alternatives are only beginning (in the life of internet video, it’s only 1954).
• Says IBM:
  The global findings overwhelmingly suggest personal Internet time rivals TV time. Among consumer respondents, 19 percent stated spending six hours or more per day on personal Internet usage, versus nine percent of respondents who reported the same levels of TV viewing. 66 percent reported viewing between one to four hours of TV per day, versus 60 percent who reported the same levels of personal Internet usage.
  
• 63 percent in the U.S. said they would watch advertising before or after quality, free content (34 percent said they’d be willing to pay). Speed up, advertisers.
• “Content” is now, at last defined as conversation as well. Use of content services: 45% social networks; 29% user-generated sites; 24% music services; 24% premium video content for TV (not sure what that means); 18% online newspaper. Ouch.
• 58% have already watched online video and 20% more are interested.
• DVRs are good for TV: 33% watch more TV as a result (58% the same)
• 74% contributed to a social network; 93% contributed to a user content site. Who says that forums are only for nuts, blogs for early adopters, and photo services for geeks? Everybody’s making content.
  
• Why do they do it? Feel part of a community, 31%; recognition from peers, 28%. Conversation.
• Primary reason for viewing content on a user site: 46% said the recommendation of a friend.
• But here’s the fly in my future-of-advertising ointment. Asked which ads “most affect your impression of a product or company,” TV commercials on major networks got the lion’s share.

• More analysis from Jeff