The Media Agency Association of Thailand (MAAT) in collaboration with 11 free-to-air digital TV channels and Video Research International (Thailand) conducted the study on TV viewing behaviour in urban areas in the second half of last year. With a sample size of 2,400 households, the study aimed to gain more understanding about viewing behaviour in Bangkok, Ratchaburi, Chon Buri,Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Surat Thani and Chumphon.

The findings suggested that more than 93.4 per cent of city dwellers still watched live programmes on their television sets, averaging one to two hours a day, while the rest said they viewed live streaming via connected devices such as smartphones, tablets and personal computers.

Asked about the most popular TV shows among urban audiences, Khaniinnat Noknoi, business director for market and communication research at Video Research International (Thailand), said news programmes ranked No 1, followed by variety and game shows, dramas, reality and competition shows, and culinary shows.

Khaniinnat said the study also found that time-shifted viewing was another key trend, particularly for respondents aged between 18 and 35 years. Almost 70 per cent said they had watched time-shifted programmes via connected devices such as smartphones, tablets and PCs after they missed the live telecast.

For the purpose of the study, time shifting was defined as watching a TV programme via any device at least two days after it has been aired on television.

Khaniinnat said smartphones were the most popular device for watching time-shifted programmes at 86.8 per cent, followed by PCs at 16.5 per cent, tablets at 5.4 per cent and TV screens connected to another device at 0.8 per cent.

“Dramas and TV series were the most popular time-shifted content for urban audiences, followed by talent competitions, variety shows, and culinary programmes,” he said.

Most of this content was available via YouTube.

Besides understanding such viewing behaviour, Triluj Navamarat, newly appointed chairman of the MAAT, suggested that channel identity would also help digital-TV broadcasters become easily recognised by audiences.

“We hope that this insight and details from these findings can give a clear direction for digital-TV broadcasters to distribute the right content via the right media to right audience,” Triluj said.