More people watched the debate between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan on television; but at the same time, more people watched on TV or mobile and television than watched on a digital device by itself, according to a Pew study.
The total result was TV 85%, computer/mobile 3%, both 11%.
The differences between the two extremes of the age demographic spectrum could hardly be more extreme. The 18-39 group had 10% using digital only and 22% using both. Compare that to 65+: 0% using digital only and 2% using both.
In the political breakdown, Democrats were the most likely to watch TV only, Republicans were most likely to watch on ditigal only and independents were most likely to use both.
Here are the full results:
Demo | TV% | Comp/mob% | Both% |
Total | 85 | 3 | 11 |
Men | 83 | 5 | 12 |
Women | 87 | 2 | 11 |
18-39 | 69 | 10 | 22 |
40-64 | 89 | 1 | 10 |
65+ | 98 | 0 | 2 |
College+ | 82 | 7 | 11 |
Some college | 78 | 2 | 18 |
HS or less | 92 | 1 | 6 |
Republican | 84 | 7 | 9 |
Democrat | 88 | 0 | 11 |
Independent | 81 | 4 | 13 |
Source: Pew Research Center |
RBR-TVBR observation: The internet is not going away, ladies and gentlemen, and the current younger generation has never experienced a world without it. That is where they spend much of their media time. There is nothing stopping broadcasters from providing compelling web content to go along with traditional broadcast platforms – but broadcasters may very well stop making money if they make like an ostrich in the face of web.