Abstract:

The paper argues that time budget studies offer a way forward for audience measurement in the digital era, helping us look across media and playing an essential dual role in media research, namely: providing a catalyst for fusion between single media currencies to allow cross-media analysis and planning; and providing context and insight to audience figures in terms of audience availability, saliency and need states. Referencing primarily two projects, one completed (BBC Daily Life) and one on the launch pad (IPA Touchpoints), this paper demonstrates the vital role time budget studies can play and indeed are already playing.