A study analyzes why we watch television, the change in habits and its role in our society

Coinciding with World Television Day, Sony publishes the report 'Why do we watch television?' which presents an independent perspective on our current and future relationship with television. This report is the work of William Cooper, from the consulting firm Informitv.

Sony has commissioned a report analyzing how television viewing habits are changing rapidly. It is important, therefore, to evaluate the longevity and role of television in our society. Sony intends with the report commissioned from the consulting firm Informitv, Why do we watch television?, understand the dynamics around television to accompany customers in a sustainable and innovative future.

Television faces unprecedented disruptive change. There is a popular view that the growth of online video means that we will watch less television through traditional channels. The million-dollar question is whether young people will end up watching television in the same way their parents do.

Instead of waiting to find out, we need to know what we still value about television.

The report Why do we watch television? provides an independent perspective on our relationship with television. Its author is William Cooper, from the consulting firm Informitv.

Cooper assures that "we often hear that we want to watch what we want, when we want, where we want. The logical consequence of this is that we usually tend to watch television alone. However, we still value the shared viewing experience. We really want to watch the same programs as others, what we don't want is to do it at the same time."

The report suggests that new forms of observation should be seen as an opportunity rather than a threat. If anything, overall video viewing is likely to increase.

The changing expectations of users, media outlets, and media companies will require new workflows, distribution models, and a new way of thinking about the diverse needs of individual users and viewers. Niall Duffy, director of IT and Workflow Solutions at Sony, says: "It may seem obvious why we watch TV, but the underlying reasons are much more complex. We need to understand why we watch TV today so we can anticipate how this may change and what that may mean for anyone involved in the media industry. We commissioned this work to encourage and inform a debate about how television will evolve in a networked world."

The report Why do we watch television? argues that powerful social and psychological factors lead to visual experience. Understanding how and why people choose to watch television will help us shape the future of online video. Its author has extensive experience in understanding how and why we watch television. After starting out as a television journalist, he continued his interests in media as an academic researcher. He then became Head of New Media Operations at the BBC, where he was responsible for online and interactive television services. He now advises clients around the world on the implications and applications of disruptive digital media technologies.