Why Do People Watch So Much Television and Video?: Implications for the Future Of Viewing and Advertising

Television and video watching over the past 25 years has increased while other media consumption has declined. Research suggests that viewing helps people relax and escape their worries. In the current research, electroencephalography (EEG) and reaction-time studies confirmed these findings. Watching TV and video generated brainwaves associated with pleasant, wakeful relaxation and absorbed cognitive capacity, taking viewers' minds off other things. These findings need further testing and refinement for today's increasingly complex television and video environment, but evidence shows new types of viewing meet broadly similar needs to those met by traditional television viewing and likely are processed similarly.