TV holds its own as Spanish media usage evolves

Spaniards are continuing to use the TV as the major device for the consumption of audiovisual content, according to the latest survey of media habits by regulator the CNMC.

According to the CNMC’s household survey panel, Spaniards spend average of 3.1 hours viewing content on the TV during the working week and four hours on weekend days and holidays. This compares with one hour consuming audiovisual content on PCs during the working week, and 1.1 hours at weekends. Spaniards consume 1.2 hours of audiovisual content on mobile phones during weekdays and 1.3 hours a day at weekends.

Tablets are the least popular devices for audiovisual consumption, with people spending on average 0.3 hours viewing audiovisual content on these device on weekdays and 0.4 hours at weekends.

The figures, which have varied little over the last year, according to the regulator, disguise significant differences in the habits of different age groups.

Over 65s spend 81% of their audiovisual consumption time in front of the TV, compared with 29% for 16-24 year-olds. However, the youngest age group surveyed, 10-15 year-olds, spend 43% of their audiovisual consumption time in front of the TV.

Among other age groups, 25-34s do 39% of viewing on TV, compared with 53% for 35-49s and 65% for 50-64s.

Some 82% of Spaniards use the internet, up six points year-on-year. Some 10.1% access the web via TV, up two points on last year. However, the mobile phone is the internet device of choice for people, with 83.5% using their phones to surf the web. This compares with the 53% who use laptops, 43.3% who use desktops, 37.3% who use tables and 6.1% who use game consoles.

Eight out of 10 Spanish people use social media platforms regularly, with 64.8% using Facebook, compared with 24.4% using Instagram, 23.8% using Google+ and 20.1% using Twitter.

For messaging and voice and video calling over the web, WhatsApp is by far the most popular platform. Some 88.9% said they used WhatsApp for messaging and 29.9% for voice and video calls, compared with 24.6% who used Facebook Messenger for messaging and 7.8% for voice and video calls. Some 8.1% used Skype for messaging and 14.5% used it for voice and video calls. While only 8.6% did not use messaging services regularly, some 56.8% did not said they did not use internet voice or video calling regularly.