SYDNEY: Although Australians have increased their adoption of new technologies, they continue to spend the overwhelming majority of their time using traditional TV sets to consume TV and video content, the latest audience data has shown.

Australians are also watching more conventional TV than they did a year ago, consuming an average of 92 hours and 39 minutes each month in the fourth quarter of 2013, an increase of 1 hour and 34 minutes since the same period in 2012, the Q4 2013 Australian Multi-Screen Report stated.

Jointly compiled by measurement companies OzTAM, Nielsen and Regional TAM, the report found that, by comparison, Australians spent 5 hours and 52 minutes a month watching video on the internet, 1 hour and 56 minutes watching online video on a mobile phone and 1 hour and 47 minutes watching online video on a tablet.

While this represented year-on-year growth of 36 minutes for viewing video on a mobile phone and 57 minutes for consumption via a tablet, both devices lagged behind the rise of more than 90 minutes per month recorded for broadcast TV viewing over the same period.

The report said this indicated that Australians of all ages are using these additional screens to complement, rather than replace, the time they spend watching traditional TV.

"Even with extensive new screen and platform options, Australians are viewing as much broadcast television as they have in years," observed Doug Peiffer, CEO of OzTAM.

Even though 92.7% of all broadcast TV is live, the report did note a modest increase of 7.3% for Playback content (TV content that is recorded and played back within seven days), which accounted for 6 hours and 47 minutes a month in Q4 2013.

Despite the ongoing popularity of conventional TV for Australians, the report confirmed this hadn't halted their rapid adoption of new devices.

Up to 40% of Australian homes now have at least one tablet, up from 27% in Q4 2012, 23% of homes have an internet-capable TV, up from 20% the year before, and 53% of homes now have a PVR (personal video recorder).

Furthermore, over two-thirds (68%) of Australians aged 16 and above now own a smartphone, up from 59% in Q4 2012, while 91% of homes have converted every working TV set in the home to digital terrestrial television (DTT).

Data sourced from OzTAM, Nielsen, Regional TAM; additional content by Warc staff