In recognition of the increasing impact television has on
decision-maSking by bringing world attention to conflicts and threats to
peace and security and its potential role in sharpening the focus on
other major issues, including economic and social issues, the United
Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 November as World Television Day
(through resolution 51/205 of 17 December 1996).
World Television Day is not so much a celebration of the tool, but rather the philosophy which it represents. Television represents a symbol for communication and globalization in the contemporary world.
To mark World Television Day on Saturday 21 November, TV organisations from around the world have brought together the latest statistics to reveal how millennials’ relationship with TV looks today. With data from 10 countries – including the US, Canada, Australia, Germany, the UK, and France – the insights show how much TV millennials now watch, how it is the dominant form of video in their lives, how important the TV set remains, the huge reach of TV, and their attitudes towards TV advertising.
Although different countries measure and report TV consumption in different ways, what is clear from statistics from across the world is that young people are watching a lot of TV:
Some new video services, such as Netflix and YouTube, have gained popularity in recent years. The data gathered from different countries shows their popularity among younger generations relative to TV:
As new screens proliferate, it means TV can be watched wherever and whenever people want. However, the TV set remains millennials’ favourite way to watch:
TV is the world’s most popular medium for every age group. In an average week, TV reaches:
The data also shows that Millennials are more favourable towards TV advertising than other forms:
*16-24s in the UK find TV advertising more enjoyable, memorable and humorous than any other media. 54% enjoy TV advertising, compared to 16% for social media; 69% say TV advertising makes them laugh, compared to 24% for social; and 73% say TV advertising is memorable, compared to 17% for social media (source: Ipsos Mori, ‘TV Nation’, 2014)
*65.7% of Italian 18-34s of 18-34s claim they pay attention to TV advertising. They also consider it to be more useful than the average population (source: Gfk Eurisko, 2015)
*In Canada, 18-34s say they are most likely to pay attention to advertising on TV than other media: 39% picked TV, compared to 12% for Social Networks and 2% for mobile. They also chose TV as the form of video advertising they are most likely to watch: 64% for TV compared to 7% for phone, 11% for tablet and 16% for computer (source: Omnivu survey, 2015)
For further research and figures about media consumption of kids, teenagers and millennials.
The global exchanges of television programmes focusing on peace,
security, economic and social development and the enhancement of
cultural exchange indicate the growing significance of television in
today's changing world. The information sharing through television
facilitates social and cultural communication and encourages
cooperation and partnerships in the world.
World Television Day is not so much a celebration of the tool, but rather the philosophy which it represents. Television represents a symbol for communication and globalization in the contemporary world.
 |
| UNTV Crew at work. UN Photo/Loey Felipe |
To mark World Television Day on Saturday 21 November, TV organisations from around the world have brought together the latest statistics to reveal how millennials’ relationship with TV looks today. With data from 10 countries – including the US, Canada, Australia, Germany, the UK, and France – the insights show how much TV millennials now watch, how it is the dominant form of video in their lives, how important the TV set remains, the huge reach of TV, and their attitudes towards TV advertising.
Although different countries measure and report TV consumption in different ways, what is clear from statistics from across the world is that young people are watching a lot of TV:
* In the USA, 18-24s watch an average of 2 hours, 33 minutes of TV a day, 25-34s watch an average of 3 hours, 50 minutes a day (source: Nielsen, ‘Total Audience Report’, Q2 2015)
* 15-34s in Ireland watch an average 2 hours, 25 minutes of TV a day. 86% of this is watched live (source: Nielsen, Jan-Oct 2015)
* 16-34s in the UK watch 2 hours, 23 minutes of linear TV on a TV set a day (source: BARB, H1 2015)
* 18-34s in Germany watch 2 hours, 21 mins of TV a day (source: AGF/GfK Jan-Oct 2015)·
*In Belgium 12-24s are watching an average of 1 hour, 29 minutes of TV a day, 10 minutes more a day than in 2010 (source: Audimetrie CIM, 2014 vs 2010)
·*Italian 15-34s watch an average of 2 hours, 33 minutes of TV a day (source: Auditel, Nov 2014 – Oct 2015)
·*18-34s in Canada watch 2 hours, 43 minutes of linear TV a day (source: Numerous, Sept 2014-Aug 2015)
Some new video services, such as Netflix and YouTube, have gained popularity in recent years. The data gathered from different countries shows their popularity among younger generations relative to TV:
* In Germany, 74% of 14-29s’ video consumption is accounted for by TV, 26% by online video (source: TNS Convergence Monitor 2015)
·*TV content accounts for 70% of 15-24s’ video consumption in France (source: Mediamétrie, 2015)
* TV accounts for 65% of 16-24s’ total video consumption in the UK; 7% is YouTube and 4% is Subscription VOD services such as Netflix (source: Thinkbox, ‘Truth about youth’, 2015)
*18-34s in Canada spend 7.6 times more time watching TV each week than they do on YouTube (19 hours vs. 2.5 hours), 17 times more time with TV than with Netflix (1.1 hours) and 3.3 times more with TV than they spend on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter combined (5.2 hours/ 0.4 hours / 0.2 hours respectively) (source: Digital: comScore Media Metrix; Multi-Platform; Sept 2014 - Aug 2015)
*TV accounts for 41% of 14-24s’ media day in the UK. The next most popular media activity is social networking/messaging, which accounts for 15.7% (source: IPA Touchpoints, 2014)
*In the USA, 18-34s spend more time online with ad-supported TV brands than with Google, AOL, MSN and Yahoo! combined or with Facebook. On average, 18-34s in the US spend 39 minutes a month watching TV online compared with 25 minutes with Google/AOL/MSN/Yahoo! and 23 minutes with Facebook (source: Nielsen Npower Live+7 July 2015 P18-34/ VAB analysis of comScore duplicated July 2015 data, mediametrix, multiplatform A18-34)
*38% of 15-34s in Belgium say TV is the medium they would miss the most compared to 16% for social networks (source: TNS, ‘La perception des médias’, 2015)
*In Spain, 15-34s spend more time watching TV than doing any other thing online. They spend 2 hours, 28 minutes a day watching TV, triple the 55 minutes they spend online (sources: Kantarmedia /Comscore MMX, 2015)
*Also in Spain, 9 out of 10 15-34s who use the internet do so to watch TV (source: Comscore MMX, 2015)
As new screens proliferate, it means TV can be watched wherever and whenever people want. However, the TV set remains millennials’ favourite way to watch:
*In the UK, 70% of 16-24s’ total video consumption – 65% of which is TV – takes place on a TV set (source: Thinkbox, ‘The Truth about Youth’)
*In Australia, 25-34s spend 80.1% of their screen viewing time watching broadcast TV on a TV set, compared to 9.3% watching video (incl. TV) on laptops, 5.6% on smartphones and 5.1% on tablets (source: ‘Australian Multi-Screen report Q2 2015’)
*For 18-24s in Australia it is a similar picture: 60.9% with broadcast TV on a TV set, 21.9% on laptops, 12.5% on smartphones and 4.7% on tablets (source: ‘Australian Multi-Screen report Q2 2015’)
*The TV set is by far the most popular device for 15-34s in Finland. 60% of their time spent watching TV and other video content is on TV sets (source: Nelonen media/TNS Gallup, ‘The Future of TV May’, 2015)
*99% of 13-34s in the Netherlands own a TV set (source: VIMN/BrandDeli, ‘TV (Re)defined’)
*Similarly, in Germany, 76% of 14-25s’ total video contact continues to happen on the TV set (source: IP Fourscreen Touchpoints, 2014)
*In Sweden, 51% of 18-34s’ prefer to watch any video content on a TV set, 33% prefer a laptop, 10% prefer a tablet and 5% opt for their mobile device (source: Reklamkraft, 2015)
TV is the world’s most popular medium for every age group. In an average week, TV reaches:
*89.9% of 16-34s in the UK (source: BARB, H1 2015)
*82.6% of 25-39s in Australia (source: OzTAM, 1 Jan-15 Oct 2015, commercial TV only)
*85% of 15-34s in Finland (source: Finnpanel Oy, H1 2015)
*77% of 18-34s in Germany (source: AGF/GfK Jan-Oct 2015)
*88% of 13-24s in the Netherlands (source: SKO, Jan-Oct 2015)
*96.1% of 18-34s in Canada (source: Numeris, Sept 1 2014 – Aug 30 2015)
*64% of 15-34s in France (source: Mediamétrie, 2015)
*72% of 15-29s in Switzerland (source: Mediapulse Fernsehpanel, 2015)
*71% of 15-24s in Sweden (source: IIS, 2015)
*74.6% of 15-34s in Italy (source: Auditel, Nov 2014 - Oct 2015)
The data also shows that Millennials are more favourable towards TV advertising than other forms:
*16-24s in the UK find TV advertising more enjoyable, memorable and humorous than any other media. 54% enjoy TV advertising, compared to 16% for social media; 69% say TV advertising makes them laugh, compared to 24% for social; and 73% say TV advertising is memorable, compared to 17% for social media (source: Ipsos Mori, ‘TV Nation’, 2014)
*65.7% of Italian 18-34s of 18-34s claim they pay attention to TV advertising. They also consider it to be more useful than the average population (source: Gfk Eurisko, 2015)
*In Canada, 18-34s say they are most likely to pay attention to advertising on TV than other media: 39% picked TV, compared to 12% for Social Networks and 2% for mobile. They also chose TV as the form of video advertising they are most likely to watch: 64% for TV compared to 7% for phone, 11% for tablet and 16% for computer (source: Omnivu survey, 2015)
For further research and figures about media consumption of kids, teenagers and millennials.
- Photoessay: History of the UN and Television - this photoessay depicts the history of the UN and television over the decades.
- International Telecommunication Union - the leading United Nations agency for information and communication technology issues; the global focal point for governments and the private sector in developing networks and services.
- Committee on Information - Established at the 34th session of the General Assembly; the Committee reviews UN Public Information Policies and Activities.
- UNifeed
UNifeed enables news providers to cover important global issues by offering timely broadcast-quality video from throughout the UN system. - UN in Action
UN in ACTION, an award-winning television series, reports on the work of the UN and its Agencies around the world. - 21st Century
UNTV's series of news-magazine programmes puts a spotlight on the world's most underreported stories. - TV Spots
The UN and its Agencies produce TV spots of 30 to 60 seconds to highlight and raise awareness of various UN issues. - UN on YouTube
The United Nations Channel on YouTube features videos on a wide range of global topics including current news, peace and security, social and economic development, human rights and climate change. - UN Video Archive
