TV Watching and Online Streaming Surge During Lockdown (bbc.com) 21
Lockdown measures enforced due to the Covid-19 pandemic brought about a surge in TV watching and online streaming, according to media watchdog Ofcom. From a report: Its annual study into UK media habits suggested adults -- many stuck indoors -- spent 40% of their waking hours in front of a screen, on average. Time spent on subscription streaming services also doubled during April. At the height of lockdown, adults spent an average of six hours and 25 minutes each day staring at screens. Screen time overall was up almost a third (31%) on last year. People watched streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, for one hour 11 minutes per day, and 12 million people joined a service they hadn't used previously. Three million of these viewers had never subscribed to any service before.
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What we've had is dramatic changes in consumer behavior both surges and businesses drying up, over a wide array of goods and services.
Some of them, like TV watching and streaming going up and air travel going down, were easy to predict. Others, like the crazy bike sales surge, come as a surprise.
My local bike shop looks empty, except for a handful of odd size bikes. Online, popular models have been out of stock for months. Parts that you would use to upgrade an old bike -- like hubs and rims -- are getti
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There have been some things that took me by surprise.
Gardening supplies were selling like absolute mad this spring. Certain seeds and plants were nearly impossible to find. I had no idea people would be that ambitious during this time.
Non-coincidentally, canning supplies in my local area have dried up completely as harvests begin to come in. Stores that typically have rack space for thousands of jars and lids are running dry. They get a new shipment in, stack the racks, and sell out within two days.
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"Wow, who would have guessed... "
It's not all, people drink more beer in summer and shovel more snow in winter.
Re:Wow (Score:4, Interesting)
I started my first bonsai, it is a lot of fun.
I doubt you'd understand it.
I'm also putting lots of miles on my sewing machine. And my soldering iron. And my rotary tool.
Unplug the teevee for a few days, or whichever screen you consume video on, and you might be surprised how many hobbies you always wished you had time for... but were just too "busy" watching TV like a vegetoid octopus slug.
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I've always wanted to try bonsai.
My summer found me picking back up old hobbies. Like Lego, painting, building models, and getting much more heavily into reading.
I think my TV watching time has stayed shockingly stable even during the time I was work-from-home.
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Wow, who would have guessed... What did you expect, a surge in knitting and Japanese gardening?
Not sure about Japanese gardening, but gardening and DIY home projects saw a massive surge. Ditto for craft supply sales, including knitting which saw upticks in sales and people taking up the hobby.
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Ya'all need some hobbies! (Score:1)
Don't know about the rest of you, but I watch a lot less TV these days. The COVID apocalypse gave me time to start up some new hobbies, jump back on the mountain bike, and do some much needed yard renovations.
Tv shows are mind numbingly formulaic, except for the ones that I like. :). Time to head out to some prospecting!
A disaster for Netflix (Score:4, Insightful)
Customers go from stream 8 hours a week to 40 hours a week (number I made up, not from the article), yet are paying the same monthly rate. Eventually they run out of things to watch on Netflix and sign up for more subscription services from competitors. Buying two or three services maybe helps lower the strain on Netflix's services, but eventually customers will have to choose between the half dozen services they sign up for and trim out the ones they don't use as much.
What would we expect (Score:2)
The "omg teh covid! we have to shut everything down" cowards even closed the libraries. There was literally nothing city dwells could do but watch the TV.
Re:What would we expect (Score:4, Informative)
You could always remember to fund your library, in which case they would have lots of electronic borrowing options. Mine does, but we also voted yes on the local taxes to pay for it. Places that voted no, they don't have very many library services. No surprise there.
Obvious Day (Score:2)
We added one service. (Score:2)
In other news (at 11) (Score:2)
Ice cream consumption is off the charts!
Take-out orders skyrocket!
Weight gain and depression/anxiety rates go up!
Entitlement claims increase, as does unemployment numbers!
Mainstream media is discovered to be full of 24 hour drivel that passes as news! Viewers revolt!
News organizations - aren't.
Censorship is alive, with info on cheap medications/treatments suppressed and deleted.
Anarchy rises through opportunistic rioting and looting.
Auto insurance rates are NOT dropping while cars remain largely in drivewa
movie on TV brasil new apk (Score:1)
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make sure to finance your library (Score:1)
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th (Score:1)