Insights FILIPINO VIEWERSHIP IN THE DIGITAL AGE
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by Angel Flores 

Watching videos is an inescapable part of the full social media experience. The main platforms for watching videos, aside from social media, are YouTube and Netflix. According to Zenith’s Online Video Forecasts 2017, online video viewing will increase by 20% and that global consumers spend 47.4 minutes a day viewing videos from the 39.6 minutes the previous year. This was caused by the increase in viewing on mobile devices, which are smartphones and tablets by 35%. One just cannot go a day without watching a video online; that is how devoted we are to social media and the beauty of internet connection.

In a 2016 survey conducted by media intelligence firm Kantar Media, 96.6 percent of Filipinos watch TV daily from 91.2 percent in 2014. It has been concluded that Filipinos still prefer traditional TV over the digital media. It was also found out that an average Filipino spends about 3.7 hours in front of their TV monitors. But amidst this, we still cannot deny that the digital media is catching up fast. Because of the improving internet access, there has been an increase of 30% of Filipinos that are now streaming videos.

The production of online video content is plentiful. This is also made possible by the technology of mobile devices. It’s easy to record and upload videos through our smartphones. Aside from the videos we watch for entertainment, we also watch videos that promote advocacies. The videos with the most spend, however, are the video ads. Online video ad spend is said to grow by 23% in 2017.

Because of the rapid growth in video consumption, it also equates to the growth of video advertising. Recently, Jollibee released another video ad that also went viral. This ad is also a prequel to their previous ad about a guy who got caught in the “friendzone.” In just a few hours, this ad had already gathered thousands of views. Not only did they incorporate ‘love’ in the said ad which is something that is very relatable to our Filipino audience, they also added a touch of unrequited love, a specialty of Jollibee.

Also with digital media, we get to access content through video-on-demand services like Netflix. Filipinos now have the opportunity to immerse themselves in different genres of films and TV series. You now have the privilege to choose to continue on a preferred genre and jump to another. Thanks to Digital media, access to different content is made convenient.

Indeed, digital media has brought a remarkable shift for the Advertising, TV and Film industries. Despite this, Jay Bautista, Kantar Media Philippines commercial director, said TV will still likely remain the most dominant medium in the country in years to come because it is easily accessed by Filipinos, especially in the rural areas. He believes that TV will not die anytime soon since half of our country is still rural.

References:

  • Mobile Devices to Lift Online Video Viewing by 20% in 2017 – Zenith, (2017, July 17)

Adobo Magazine. Retrieved from: http://adobomagazine.com/digital-news/mobile-devices-lift-online-video-viewing-20-2017-zenith

  • In Focus: Change is Ongoing for Filipino TV Viewing Habits, Plaza, Gerry (2016, September 26)

ABS-CBN Lifestyle. Retrieved from: http://lifestyle.abs-cbn.com/articles/2442/in-focus-change-is-ongoing-for-filipino-tv-viewing-habits/

  • TV still preferred by Filipinos, says survey Arcangel, Xian (2017, March 2) CNN Philippines. Retrieved from: http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2017/03/02/TV-filipino-survey-Internet-social-media.html
  • PH world’s No. 1 in terms of time spent on social media. Camus, Miguel R. (2017, January 24)

Inquirer Technology. Retrieved from: http://technology.inquirer.net/58090/ph-worlds-no-1-terms-time-spent-social-media

  • Filipinos still prefer watching TV, survey shows. Bartolome, Jessica (2016, April 1)

GMA News Online. Retrieved from: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/scitech/technology/561209/filipinos-still-prefer-watching-tv-survey-shows/story/

  • TRADITIONAL OR DIGITAL — FILIPINOS LOVE TO WATCH TV (2015, December 16) Nielsen. Retrieved from: http://www.nielsen.com/ph/en/insights/news/2016/traditional-or-digital-filipinos-love-to-watch-tv.html
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