More South Africans are consuming more TV content, using more of their time to do so - not despite more devices, social media and the internet vying for their time and attention, but because of it.
The major implication is that brands, companies, broadcasters, content producers, content shapers and advertisers who don't engage and join this sea change sweeping television in South Africa as well as similar emerging markets across the world, are going to be left out in the cold.
Discovery Networks for the Central Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA) region released in Johannesburg today a detailed and fascinating 60 page report entitled The Rise of the TV Everywhere Audience containing remarkable, insightful, and very specific trends, analysis and data concerning South Africa and South African TV viewers, as well as for specific TV markets stretching across several continents.
The South African TV viewer is watching more television than ever before - a massive 4,5 hours of TV daily - and it keeps increasing. Almost a third (31%) of South Africans have watched live TV in the past 6 months online - an incredible statistic.
"TV viewing is rising and continuing to rise on other screens," said Jonathan Bennet, the director of communications for Discovery CEEMEA who flew to South Africa to present the groundbreaking report done by Discovery Insights this afternoon to journalists, stakeholders and TV executives.
While South African TV viewers and audiences - due to slower broadband speed, cost and access - rate and fare slightly lower in several of the markers, metrics, categories and subjects measured, there is massive change happening within South African TV viewing behaviour which is not confined to "wealthy" TV viewers or those with access to better TV or television on more screens.
It's largely thanks to the smartphone cellphone. A massive 74% of South Africans surveyed indicated that they have a smartphone - the second highest of all of the countries included in the research. Through that viewers interact with social media, watch additional TV and track down more information about, and engage, with TV shows.
While 64% of South Africans still watch TV in a linear way and watch television as it is broadcast according to The Rise of the TV Everywhere Audience, 18% record television for later, a whopping 11% watch video-on-demand (VOD), and a massive 7% watch "catch-up" television which only recently became an option in South Africa.
Furthermore, 17% have watched or downloaded TV content the past 6 months, a third (33%) have used the internet to post something about a TV show on social networks or used the internet to find out more about a TV show online, and 15% have watched live TV through their internet connection on a tablet device.
While South Africa (31%) and Hungary (29%) lag behind other markets they are just as likely to watch catch-up TV than live TV online.
South Africa again came out second highest in the research (72%) with respondents indicating a positive response of being strongly interested in using a device or service that would allow them to access TV content wherever they are, for instance on a smartphone or tablet.
A third (33%) of South Africans said using the internet enhance their TV viewing experience - like posting about a TV show on social networking sites or looking up information about a programme. While 18% of South Africans have already watched clips of their favourite programmes on their mobile phones, 43% haven't but said they would do so in the future.
South Africa came out tops (67%) in all of the 10 countries surveyed, when asked whether they're interested in a device or service that could recommend TV programmes based on preference and South Africa was again on top with very strong support (79%) for a device which could automatically record TV shows that might be of interest to them.
And another bit of fascinating information: 53% of South Africans believe there is more good TV content to watch on television than there used to be. 25% feels its the same, 17% don't think there's more good TV and 6% strongly disagree.
When South Africans choose what they're going to watch they indicated that trailers influence their viewing decision the most, followed by friends and family, and then online TV guides in the 3rd place. Adverts, printed reviews, and TV guides didn't make the top three spots.
Out of all the countries South Africa also came out tops when it comes to TV viewers talking about TV programmes on social networking sites while watching TV. South Africa at 8,1% of people who said they do so always or often, and a further 43% who said they do so occasionally, was on both measurements the highest out of all 10 countries.
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