Young TV watchers may spend equal time on social media

The average Canadian adult watches a whopping 30 hours of television a week, according to BBM Canada.
Nathaniel Willsie figures he’s way under that and swears he’s not among those who watch an average of four hours and 20 minutes of TV a day.
It’s his growing interest in social media that’s led to his declining interest in TV. And when he is watching, the TV screen only has a fraction of his attention, with his eyes frequently scanning over to his iPhone or laptop, which are always within reach.
But when it comes to how much time he spends online, he laughs sheepishly as he tries to do the math.
“It’s a lot,” says the ruminating 24-year-old from Edmonton, umming and ahhing for a few seconds before coming to a number that he sounds surprised to utter aloud.
“I’m on social media pretty much all day long from eight in the morning until midnight, I would say.
“I don’t know, maybe 10 hours a day?”
Willsie’s not alone. A recent report by the Media Technology Monitor found that 58 per cent of Canadians said they have multitasked with an Internet-connected device while watching TV, and 26 per cent said they were always or almost always using the Internet while watching TV.
Meanwhile, figures for web usage are edging closer to time spent watching TV, especially among younger demographics.
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