• by Wayne Friedman , April 17, 2012

Tablets are the primary alternative to watching full-length TV shows when traditional TV is not available.

New research from Viacom says laptops and desktops are no longer the main choice after traditional TV screens. Tablets comprised a 15% share of viewing full-length TV episodes after traditional TV, according to its survey.

The research says that since tablets have gained prominence, viewing of complete TV shows has declined the most on desktops and smartphones. The biggest viewing categories on tablets are similar to what is watched on laptops and desktops: comedy and music. The research says reality is the top genre viewed on television, followed by drama, science fiction and sports.

Viacom says aggressive tablet users are those who use apps from MSO-cable operators, Netflix, Apple TV, AirPlay users and Whispersync. About half of those tablet owners who subscribe to a cable company that offers streaming apps use them.

The 18-24 demo are heavy users of tablets, especially in the dual video experience of watching TV and using tablets. However, for all users, 77% of tablet use is done alone; 74% of tablet usage is done at home. Viacom surveyed 2,500 people ages 8 to 54.

Overall, its study found that 62% use their tablets daily; also that daily tablet users spend an average of 2.4 hours per day on their devices. Eighty-five percent of tablet use is for personal reasons versus business.

Colleen Fahey Rush, executive vice president and chief research officer, Viacom Media Networks, stated: "We found that the tablet is a jack of many trades –- it offers video and social experiences, it's a source of information and it's portable. But despite its versatility, other devices prove irreplaceable."

Viacom's study also said most tablet owners are not ready to purge their smartphones, laptops or gaming consoles. But 65% would replace their laptop before their tablet because it lacks the work functionality; 77% would replace their iPhone before their iPad.