New trend analysis confirms:
Television is becoming increasingly secondary.

TV viewers are entering a "change of life": They are switching channels more and more frequently and practicing a gentle television boycott. When the television is on in German living rooms, fewer and fewer people are watching. Viewers are increasingly turning away from the screen and doing other things. They are reading and eating, ironing and crafting, talking to friends or making phone calls. This is the conclusion of a recent trend analysis by the B·A·T Leisure Research Institute, which examined the TV viewing habits of 2,000 West Germans aged 14 and over, comparing the years 1991 to 1994.

For the past four years, West Germans (and, for the first time in 1994, East Germans as well) have been regularly asked whether they "only watched television" the previous evening or were "occupied with other things" at the same time. The result is alarming: In 1991, 44 percent of West German viewers were fully focused on the TV program. In the following years, the percentage of viewers who adhere to the habit of "pure television viewing" steadily declined (1992: 381,030; 1993: 371,030) and now stands at 36 percent. In the former East Germany, the level of attention is even lower, at just 30 percent.

""Television is evolving into a family background activity, a mixture of background noise and ironing," says Prof. Dr. Horst W. Opaschowski, head of the B·A·T Institute. "While the TV program is on, family members in most households pursue their own personal activities – as if television didn't exist.""

The men read the newspaper, enjoy a leisurely dinner, and engage in obligatory family conversations. One in eight men "temporarily dozed off" during the last evening of television viewing. The women's TV "pleasure" is quite different: In one in eleven households, the women set up the ironing board in front of the television. And one in seven women was busy with needlework last evening. Five percent of women played with their children while the television was on. And three percent of women spent the last evening... The younger and middle generations, in particular, are practicing a gentler approach to television.
Television boycott. Almost three-quarters of 14- to 19-year-olds (73%) and 30- to 49-year-olds (74%) use the television as background entertainment while eating dinner, reading the newspaper, and talking together. Only viewers over 50 still demonstrate relatively high levels of television loyalty (43%). Families with children, in particular, turn to other activities while watching television. Traditional television viewing behavior is only observed in single-person households and households of retirees. This reflects habits, convenience, and certainly also a fear of loneliness.

Watching television in leisure time:
The educated elite are increasingly refusing to cooperate.

Another trend is emerging in the B·A·T analysis: Television is increasingly becoming a medium for lower-educated groups, while those with higher levels of education are steadily losing interest in watching it. Just three years ago, 29 percent of respondents with a high school diploma in West Germany stated that they had "not watched television yesterday." In 1993, this figure had risen to 38 percent. This year, the rate of those with higher levels of education who no longer turn on the television after work has reached a new high of 45 percent.

Television programs are becoming increasingly similar because TV channels, in their pursuit of ratings, copy and imitate each other. A decline in quality and a loss of program diversity can result. News and political programs are at risk of being sidelined. According to B·A·T survey results, in recent years, more gambling programs (1991: 101,300 viewers – 1994: 161,300 viewers) and entertainment series (1991: 361,300 viewers – 1994: 421,300 viewers) were watched in West Germany, while news programs (1991: 821,300 viewers – 1994: 681,300 viewers) and political magazines (1991: 191,300 viewers – 1994: 91,300 viewers) experienced significant declines during the same period. A downward spiral of television programming is looming. Professor Opaschowski: "A kind of elevator effect is occurring: TV programs are being lowered in quality. Entertainment tends to triumph over information.""

This development cannot leave society and politics indifferent. Two-thirds of young people in Germany (West Germans: 631,030 – East Germans: 701,030) did not watch a single news program on television last night. Young people are thus "coping" with the information overload in a very particular way: they are more likely to opt out of news programs on television than to watch them. "TV news – no, thank you!" – a challenge for political education.

High "switch-off rates" during commercial breaks and game shows

More and more TV viewers may not be switching off their sets, but they are mentally checking out. Viewers' attention is at its lowest during commercials. Only a minority are fully focused on the program. No other part of the schedule flickers past viewers as indifferently and meaninglessly as the commercial break. Eighty percent of viewers are preoccupied with other things during this time (West Germans: 771% – East Germans: 951%).

The distraction is particularly pronounced with gambling programs. Disinterest appears to increase proportionally with the number of game shows. In the last four years, the "switch-off rate" among West Germans rose from 67 percent (1991) to 81 percent (1994). The gap between the number of devices used and the number of viewers who switch off is widening.

Hint

The study "Television Consumption – Facts and Trends" is available for a nominal fee of DM 20 from the BAT Leisure Research Institute, Alsterufer 4, 20354 Hamburg, Germany. We will gladly provide journalists and editorial offices with a review copy upon request.