People in the United Kingdom new spend almost 11 hours a day engaging with media. That figure includes simultaneous use of different types of media, which is increasingly common.
The numbers come from an Attention Economy study by Ampere Analysis, which covers users in both the United Kingdom and the United States.
The daily average of 11 hours of media use represents the cumulative total of media engagement. It includes overlapping activities, such as using a phone while watching television or video.
Nearly four out of ten people report regularly using social media while watching television or movies on a larger screen. Such media multi-tasking has emerged as a primary characteristic of media consumption.
The self-reported survey shows almost two hours a day with online video services and another hour and a half on YouTube, with social media taking an hour and three quarters of each day. These are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
Viewing television channels comes out at just over an hour a day, at 68 minutes, according to the study.
It should be noted that these numbers differ from the recently published figures from the communications regulator Ofcom, based on Barb data. That puts average television viewing across all individuals at 111 minutes a day, with a further 28 minutes a day watching broadcaster online video services.
Viewing time alone is only one dimension. The use of media is based on different user needs.
The Ampere report suggests that online video services are most often used for relaxation and immersion, YouTube for discovery and raising mood, while social media is used to relieve boredom or provide distraction.
It is also no surprise that media usage varies by age group. Younger users spend most time on YouTube and gaming, while older users spans more time with online video services and television.
The study found that users in the United Kingdom and the United States access an average of more than 11 media platforms every week, with online video services like Netflix making up around 4 of them.
The methodology of the Ampere study is not openly published.