When it Comes to Televisions, Canadians Say Bigger is Better
Bigger is better for Canadians when it comes to televisions.
According to the results of a new survey commissioned by Sharp Canada, 24% of Canadians want a larger TV and 54% want one 50 inches or bigger. In 2010, a bigger screen was the third-most wanted feature of a new TV. This year, it is the number one most-desired feature. And the 60”-plus screen size category is the fastest growing segment in the consumer market.
“Big screen viewing in the home is now a reality for the masses,” says Abraham Cherian, Senior Director, Marketing and Planning, Consumer Products Division, Sharp Electronics of Canada. “With our family of large screens, Sharp offers the most immersive viewing experience to Canadians at a price point previously unimaginable.”
Interestingly, Canadians have little to no interest in 3D TVs—it was the least popular feature, with 44% of Canadians saying it is the least important thing a TV should have. Meanwhile, web-enabled features are still a niche at just 1 in 5 Canadians having internet-capable TV, although the desire for this feature is growing quickly. However, even among those with web-enabled televisions, 66% rarely or never take advantage of the feature, suggesting slow adoption.
55% of Canadians spend more than 10 hours a week watching television, with 29% watching 15 hours or more. Only 39% of Canadians spend one to four hours being “intimate” with their spouse, while a whopping 32% spend zero hours a week being intimate.
72% of those surveyed have more than one television in the home, and while the living room remains the primary location for a TV (92%) the bedroom is the second most popular location (48%) and 9% have a TV in the kitchen. Men are predominantly the TV purchasers in the home, with 82% purchasing the TV compared with 68% of women.
The most popular activities on Canadians' TVs are DVD watching and basic cable viewing at 48% each; high def cable 43%; PVR at 26%; blue-ray at 18%; PC-streamed content at 18%; and internet protocol services like Apple TV and Netflix at 8%.
Prime time dramas and sitcoms are the most often watched type of television entertainment at 32%—more than double of those that watch news shows.
