blinkx Research Uncovers Modern British Viewing Habits and Reveals We Are Not a Nation of Passive TV Viewers



    blinkx, the world´s largest and most advanced video search engine,
    today revealed research into the modern British online adult and their
    consumer viewing habits. The research shows Great Britain is a nation
    of interactive TV users, and the idea of the passive viewer is fading
    fast, with much of the population going online while watching TV.

    The research showed:

    -- Nearly 70 percent of online British adults who watch
    television (69 percent) go online while doing so, with 21
    percent of 16-24 year olds always using the Internet while
    watching TV

    -- More adults who surf the web for content related to what
    they´re watching on TV are searching for products which
    appeared in the show (30 percent) than products advertised
    during programming (27 percent)

    -- There is a healthy appetite for full length film, TV shows and
    sporting events online, with 19 percent of all online adults
    typically watching such content online

    -- News (27 percent) and comedy (22 percent) lead the way for the
    types of video and television content being watched online

    Multitasking nation

    The results from the survey revealed the nation wants to find out
    more about what they´re watching, while watching it. Nearly 70 percent
    of online British adults who watch TV go online when watching
    television at some point, with 21 percent of 16-24 year olds always
    going online while watching TV.

    Interestingly, even the Golden Oldies of Great Britain also ´two
    time,´ with 50 percent of Silver Surfers aged 55 years old and up
    going online while watching TV.

    Influence of advertising

    The results also gave insight into the difference between
    consumers´ reaction to programmed advertising and products used during
    the shows. Of those online and surfing the web for related content
    whilst watching TV, 30 percent search for products or services which
    appeared in the programme they were watching.

    The results for those searching for products advertised during the
    programming were slightly lower however, with 27 percent of viewers
    looking for advertised products.

    Healthy appetite for content

    Industry watchers will not be surprised to hear that the advent of
    TV and video content online is being readily accepted. Fifty-one
    percent of online British adults are watching such content online,
    which is encouragingly high, with one in five (19 percent) watching
    full length TV shows, movies or sporting events online.

    Who is watching what?

    When looking at the content being watched, there is an intriguing
    gender split - although few will be surprised that more men are
    watching sports (27 percent) than women (8 percent). However, when it
    comes to current affairs, more men (31 percent) are regularly watching
    news online than women (22 percent).

    Finally, it seems the younger generation have a healthier sense of
    humour online, with 34 percent of 16-24 year olds watching comedy
    content online, against just 16 percent of those over the age of 55.

    "It´s interesting to see that Internet surfing is now challenging
    the way we watch television," said Suranga Chandratillake, founder and
    CEO, blinkx. "The U.K. no longer wants to be a nation of passive
    viewers. They want to find out as much information as possible, and
    want to discover this through the Internet at the same time as they
    are watching the content on the television."

    About the Survey

    Harris Interactive(R) fielded the online survey on behalf of
    blinkx between February 13 and February 18, 2008 among nationwide
    cross-sections of 2,471 adults aged 18+ in the United States and 2,228
    adults aged 16+ in Great Britain. The Great Britain data were weighted
    to be representative of the total G.B. adult population on the basis
    of region, age, sex, education, and income. The U.S. data were
    weighted to be representative of the total U.S. adult population on
    the basis of region, age within gender, education, household income,
    and race/ethnicity. Both sets of data were weighted to be
    representative of the population of online adults in each country.

    All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability
    sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most
    often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error,
    coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated
    with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting
    and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words
    "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated
    are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities
    for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These
    are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this
    ideal.

    Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who
    have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys.

    Because the sample is based on those who agreed to be invited to
    participate in the Harris Interactive online research panel, no
    estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

    Full data tables are available upon request.

    About blinkx

    blinkx plc (LSE AIM: BLNX) is the world´s most comprehensive video
    search engine. Today, blinkx has indexed more than 18 million hours of
    audio, video, viral and TV content, and made it fully searchable and
    available on demand. blinkx´s founders set out to solve a significant
    challenge - as TV and user-generated content on the Web explode,
    keyword-based search technologies only scratch the surface. blinkx´s
    patented search technologies listen to - and even see - the Web,
    helping users enjoy a breadth and accuracy of search results not
    available elsewhere. In addition, blinkx powers the video search for
    many of the world´s most frequented sites. blinkx is based in San
    Francisco and London. More information is available at www.blinkx.com.