Live Primetime Social TV Activities, February 2014 [TABLE]

Of the seemingly infinite ways consumers multitask with media, the most common is the use of a digital device while watching TV. In some cases, this digital activity pertains directly to the show or ad that people watch, while in other instances the activities are unrelated.

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Although many viewers use ad-skipping technologies or simply tune out during TV commercials, a February 2014 study from Facebook conducted by Millward Brown Digital found that 78% of US internet users accessed second screens during shows, compared with 71% who did so during ads. And among those whose attention drifted to other screens during programs, most picked the run of the show for their excursions, as opposed to limiting second screening to previews, end credits, recaps or songs. This finding might surprise anyone who figured consumers waited until commercials to shift their attention to the “other” screen. Read the rest at eMarketer.