Television is still such a big part of people's lives: More than one-half (58%) of those surveyed say they would give up social networking if staying online meant they could no longer watch TV, according to a survey from Ipsos.
Among the findings issued by Ipsos:
- Online North Americans are the most likely to prefer TV over social networking (73%), followed by people in the G-8 Countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK, and the US) (69%), and Europe (66%).
- Those in BRIC Countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) (58%) and the Middle East and Africa (54%) are more likely to prefer social networking over TV.
- Among those age 35 and under, there is a 50-to-50 split on who would give up social networking or TV.
Below, additional findings from Socialogue, a 24-country survey conducted by Ipsos OTX and Ipsos Global @dvisor.
US Age and Gender Preferences
Among online Americans surveyed, 74% say they prefer TV over social networking (i.e., they would give up social networking in favor of TV).
However, online women, younger people, and those with lower incomes are more likely to give up TV in favor of social networking:
- 77% of men prefer TV over social networking, compared with 72% of women.
- 86% of adults age 50-64 prefer TV over social networking, compared with 73% of adults age 35-49 and 64% of people under age 35.
- 77% of adults in high-income brackets prefer TV over social networking, compared with 73% of those in medium-income brackets and 65% of those in high-income brackets.
Preferences of US Business Professionals
US business audiences are also more likely to give up TV in favor of social networking:
- 64% of senior decision-makers prefer TV over social media, compared with 76% of non-decision-makers.
- 71% of business owners prefer TV over social media, compared with 75% of those who do not own businesses.
People with less education are more likely than those with high-education levels to prefer TV over social media (81% vs. 68%).
About the study: Findings are from a 24-country survey of online adults conducted by Ipsos OTX and Ipsos Global @dvisor in January 2012.
