Over Half (54%) Feel Television Offers A Good Way To Spend Quality Time With Close Ones

Toronto, ON - According to a new survey conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of H.P., over half of Canadians (54%) feel that "watching television together, in today's hectic world, is a good way for family, spouses or friends to spend quality time together".

What's more, is that when it comes to how Canadians would most like to use a big screen TV if they had one, the most popular activities involve spending time with their close ones:

• 41% choose "watching movies or having a movie night with friends of family"; and
• 39% choose "watching your favourite television programs with friends of family".

Canadians are such fans of their TV that two-thirds (65%) agree that "watching movies on my TV at home is a much more intimate and enjoyable experience than going to the movie theatre". Not surprising then, is the fact that a strong majority of Canadians (73%) would be very excited to receive a big screen TV as a gift.

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Men are actually more likely than women to admit they would be excited about the prospect of big screen TV gift (77% vs. 69%) -perhaps partially related to the fact that more men (55%) than women (44%) "get to hold the remote" when people are gathered around the television. But most Canadians are asking more of their ideal television set-up, as 60% agree they would "like a home theatre system that would allow them to access movies, the Internet and the stereo all in one central media hub".

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted for H.P. Televisions and fielded from May 25th to May 30th, 2006. For the survey, a representative sample of 1002 adults Canadians were interviewed via an on-line survey vehicle. The data was weighted to reflect the actual population distribution of Canada. Results of this survey can be considered accurate to +/-3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would be had the entire population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within each city and other sub-groupings of the survey population.

Over Half (54%) Of Canadians Think That Watching Television Together Is Good Way To Spend "Quality Time" With Close Ones...

Over half of Canadians (54%) feel that "watching television together, in today's hectic world, is a good way for family, spouses or friends to spend quality time together" - 46%, though, feel it is not.

• Those living in Ontario (60%) and British Columbia (54%) are the most likely to feel watching television is a good way to spent quality time with close ones, while those in Saskatchewan/Manitoba (47%) and Alberta (49%) are the least likely to feel this way.
• Those with kids are more likely to hold these feelings than are those without kids (65% vs. 50%).

In Fact, Most Popular Use For A Big Screen Are Family And Friend Activities Like "Movie Nights" (41%) Or "Watching Programs" (39%) Together...

Now I'd like to ask you some questions about your experience with TVs. Sppose you had a big screen television, which of the following activities would you MOST like to use it for? (n=1002)

• Those in Quebec (47%) are the most likely to want to use a big screen to watch movies or have a movie night, while those in Saskatchewan/Manitoba (50%) and Ontario (45%) are the most likely to say they would most like to watch their favourite television programs with friends or family.
• Men are more than twice as likely to say they would most like to use a big screen TV to watch sports events with friends and/or family.

Most (60%) Would Like Their TV To Act As Their Central Media Hub, And Majority (65%) Prefer Home Theatre To Going To The Cinema...

Please tell me if you stornlgy agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree with each of the following statements (n=1002)

• Those in Saskatchewan/Manitoba (88%) are the most likely to agree that they "would be excited to receive a big screen TV as a gift", followed by
• Those in Atlantic Canada (76%), by a substantial margin, are the most likely to agree with the statement "watching movies on my TV at home is a much more enjoyable experience than going to the movie theatre".
• Those in Ontario (66%) are the most likely to agree that they "would like a home theatre system that would allow me to access movies, the Internet and the stereo all in one central media hub", followed by those in Saskatchewan/Manitoba (64%) and Atlantic Canada (63%).
• Fifty-five percent of males agree with the statement "I usually get to hold the remote control when everyone is gathered around the television" (vs. 44% among females).

Largest Percentage (44%) Feel 42-50 Inch T.V. Would Be Their Ideal Size...

What would be their ideal TV size?

• 2% say "under 26 inches"
• 31% say "26-37 inches"
• 44% say "42-50 inches"
• 23% say "50-65 inches".

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Paul Orovan
Ipsos Reid
(416) 324-2900
[email protected]

Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 300 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.

Ipsos
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