UK living rooms turn digital hubs with increasing use of net devices: Ofcom

According to an annual report by Ofcom, the communications regulator, the increased use of smart phones and tablets such as iPads meant that many UK citizens were regularly watching a different television show from their spouse even as they sat in the same room.

Ofcom found that around a quarter of all households now owned a tablet, more than double the level a year ago; smart phones were owned by 51 per cent. On average, households could access the internet over at least three types of devices.

According to James Thickett, the director of research at Ofcom, people were watching more television, with 91 per cent of adults viewing programmes on the main set each week, up from 88 per cent in 2002.

However, as a nation, UK citizens were ''multitasking'' more than ever before.

A third of adults regularly used their smart phone or tablet for browsing the web even as they watched television; 24 per cent sent emails or posted information online, 16 per cent carried out online shopping and 6 per cent watched a different programme.

Over 20 per cent of all tablet owners regularly watched different content to that on the television while sitting in the same room as their partner.

Forty-nine per cent of children used their parents' tablets to watch video clips or children's shows in the living room.

According to Ofcom, huge growth in take-up of smart phones and tablets was creating a nation of media multi-taskers, which had led to the transformation of the traditional living room of our parents and grandparents into a digital media hub.

The regulator's Communications Market Report 2013 revealed that people were still coming together to watch TV in the living room – 91 per cent of UK adults viewed TV on the main set each week, up from 88 per cent in 2002. An increasing array of digital media, however, was now vying for their attention. People were streaming videos, firing off instant messages and updating their social media status even as they watched more TV than before.

While these activities were mostly carried out using smart phones, tablet ownership had more than doubled in the past year, increasing from 11 per cent of homes to 24 per cent, with the average household now owning over three types of internet enabled device, and 20 per cent owning six or more.

More than half (53 per cent) of UK adults were now media multi-tasking even as they watched TV on a weekly basis. Watching different content on another device was one of these activities.

Media meshing is the carrying out activities or communicating via other devices while watching TV; along with the activities related to watching the TV programmes.

Media stacking is carrying out of activities or communicating via other devices while watching TV; but these activities are not related to the TV programme being watched. Combined, they made up media multi-tasking.