“Work-from-home” professionals in the US have sent daytime TV figures soaring, new data from research firm Nielsen reveals.

Back in August, when for many working from home was still something of a novelty, the Nielsen Remote Workers survey found that 65% of respondents said they watched TV or streamed video during work breaks. But 56% of those Nielsen asked admitted they watched, with the sound on, while they were working.

Zip forward to October and the numbers show that for many professionals and managers, daytime has become a second primetime. 

Overall, daytime TV consumption (live, time-shifted, internet-connected device, game console), was up by 21% in October. For professionals and managers, Nielsen says, the increase amounts to 26 extra minutes a day between 9am and 4pm, or an average of two hours and 10 minutes more viewing per week than a year ago. 

And this extra daytime viewing hasn’t dented evening TV consumption either; in fact, these same viewers are watching more between 5pm and 8pm as well.

Daytime internet-connected device usage has increased by significant double-digits across all age groups and all worker and non-worker groups, Nielsen says. 

Children, in particular, have now established daily routines that mean significantly more time with TV than previously, the data shows. 

For example, total TV usage in October this year between 9 am and 4 pm was 41% and 56% higher among children aged 12 to 17 years and those aged between 6 and 11 years, respectively, than it was in October last year, Nielsen says.

Commenting on the research, Nielsen points out, “The established new routines of consumers, the colder winter months and increased movement restrictions will further solidify daytime TV as a true work companion.”

The implications for networks, programmers and advertisers are obvious, it says. All want to reach specific audiences, and the times to reach those audiences are now different from those times at the beginning of the year.

“That means content creators, networks and marketers should be actively thinking about making adjustments to ensure that their efforts are seen and heard when engagement is high,” Nielsen said in a blog post.

Sourced from Nielsen