9 in 10 Americans Multitask While Watching TV

Remember the days when you could just kick back in front of the TV and watch sports, a movie or your favorite TV show? Well, apparently these days are over. According to research conducted by Deloitte, watching TV is no longer enough to keep most Americans entertained.

In the survey conducted in November 2014 no more than 1 in 10 Americans stated that he or she usually does nothing else while watching TV. The vast majority surfs the web, writes emails, text messages or even plays video games while watching (more accurately: not watching) television.

According to the report, those aged 14-25 are the most avid multitaskers, typically engaging in an average of 3 additional activities while watching TV. While young Americans like to browse the web, send texts and use social networks, older generations are more likely to write and read emails when they get bored of the TV program.

Description

This chart illustrates which activities Americans typically engage in while watching TV.

Download Chart
Premium statistics
Which are the things you typically do while watching your home TV?
Premium statistics
Most popular multitasking activities while watching TV and streaming services among CTV users in the United States as of March 2025
Premium statistics
Most popular multitasking activities while watching TV and streaming services among Black CTV users in the United States as of March 2024
Premium statistics
Most common multi-tasking activities carried out while watching video content in the United States in 2017, by device
Premium statistics
Most popular multitasking activities while watching TV and streaming services among Hispanic CTV users in the United States as of July 2025
Premium statistics
Most common activities while watching sports worldwide as of August 2021

Any more questions?

Get in touch with us quickly and easily.
We are happy to help!

Do you still have questions?

Feel free to contact us anytime using our contact form or visit our FAQ page.

Statista Content & Design

Need infographics, animated videos, presentations, data research or social media charts?

More Information