The term “second screen” might be on its way out. As increasing attention is paid to digital content, TV is now just another screen competing for eyes against multiple interactive ones. A new report from eMarketer, entitled “Simultaneous Media Use: Screen Fragmentation Complements Traditional Channels” points out that thinking of TV as being the dominant screen and the cell phone, tablet, or laptop as the secondary, complementary viewing screen is wrong.
A majority of the activity happening while viewers watch the show isn’t in direct correlation with watching and engaging with it via social media, as it turns out. Often people are doing completely unrelated tasks showing viewers are really multitasking while watching media.
Interestingly, viewers aren’t necessarily opting out of watching ads: 78 percent of ‘second screening’ happens while shows are on, while 71 percent happens during ads. Users aren’t accessing ‘second screens’ during their ‘down time,’ they are using them by and large throughout watching TV.
