Television is as popular and engaging a past-time as ever.

According to a recent Rogers study, 98% of Canadian households have a TV with an average of 2.4 per household and over 38% of households have 3 or more TV’s. It is also averaged that each person will spend at least 2 hours if not more watching television per day.

Recognizing this, advertisers are spending almost two-thirds (62.4%) of all advertising dollars on television and it is still one of the most effective vehicles for reaching customers. How does this compete with new technologies available? Television is combining with computers, smartphones and tablets to complete the mix of how the most popular media past-time is being consumed. It is a staggering fact that Seven in ten Canadians claim they use their computer, smartphone or tablet while watching TV.

Networks are responding with shows becoming more interactive, driving audiences to visit online to engage with the show’s website or Twitter page and viewers’ ability to comment and vote for their favourite contestants, or communicate with others live about what is happening as the show progresses. This deeper engagement is having a positive influence on TV as a medium.

TV advertising isn’t going away anytime soon, as advertisers realize that by joining the new screen technologies together will only increase their campaign’s effectiveness.

It is the job of an experienced TV buyer to discern where to target, and how to effectively deliver impact while navigating the changing ways in which TV is being consumed.