It may be wishful thinking, given the source, but  a recent study of TV viewing habits offers some hope to networks and advertisers used to being on the losing end of any battle with new technology. It seems that there’s an unforeseen side effect when viewers watch TV while also using so-called “second screens” (i.e. smart phone, tablet or laptop): They’re less likely to fast-forward through commercials and more likely to respond to audio-centric ads. To be sure, the findings should be taken with a grain of salt, not only because the study (“Deconstructing the Multi-Screener”) is one of the first to examine TV viewing habits in this way but also because it was conducted by Latitude Research with/for Bravo Media. That’s Bravo as in Real Housewives and Top Chef. Which means the cable network has a strong interest in promoting any research that suggests that a) there are ways to get people to skip fewer ads; and b) second-screen usage somehow makes certain kinds of ads more compelling. That said, the well-regarded Latitude Research took a serious quantitative and qualitative approach to the project, surveying more than 1,000 people about their viewing habits while also observing more than 100 actual human beings watching TV in a variety of time-shifting-plus-second-screen situations, i.e. DVRs plus various combinations of smart phones, tablets, and laptops. (MORE: The Winners and Losers of the New Television Landscape) More important, the findings pass the smell test. Some 73% of survey participants said that using a second screen while watching a program increased the likelihood that they would refrain from ad-skipping. This makes intuitive sense. If you’re watching a recording of your favorite program, a commercial break presents any number of opportunities for action, only one of which is to fast-forward through to the next act or segment. Among those who don’t head to the kitchen or bathroom, a growing number will use the break to answer emails, conduct show-related research, or perhaps see what other fans think about what they just watched. Advertisers, in fact, might pray that viewers … Continue reading A Simple Way to Get TV Viewers to Stop Skipping the Ads