How Young Children Are Watching Television Broadcasts, Internet Videos, etc.

From the June 2022 Rating Survey on Young Children's TV Viewing

Published: December 1, 2022

This paper reports the current status of young children’s viewing of television broadcasts in real time, recorded programs, DVDs, and internet videos based on the results of the Rating Survey on Young Children's TV Viewing held in 2022. The survey was conducted for a week from June 6th (Monday) through June 12th (Sunday), aiming at 1,000 young children aged two through six living within 30km radius of Tokyo.

Young children’s viewing time of television (real-time viewing) per day was 55 minutes, with 17 minutes for recorded programs/DVDs (time-shifted viewing) and 39 minutes for internet videos (respective weekly average). The reaches of the week were 74.4% for overall television (NHK and commercial broadcasters combined), 53.8% for recorded programs/DVDs, and 67.8% for internet videos. In comparison with 2019 and 2021, the reach for internet videos continued growing. Likewise, in terms of the weekday ratings (utilization rates) by 30 minutes, internet-video viewing marked higher percentages than in 2019 for a wide range of time slots between 6:30am and 9:00am and between 3:00pm and 9:00pm.

Most of the top-rated TV programs were NHK ETV programs for young children and/or children. Highly watched internet videos ranged from content featuring characters and intellectual training videos to videos shared by YouTubers and live game playing which tells children were exposed to diverse types of content. Responses regarding parents’ attitudes and situations where children watch content found that children selected what internet videos to watch independently while they watched TV programs at mealtimes or in relation to other family members, which highlights that the roles of these two platforms tended to be used in different manners.

The NHK Monthly Report on Broadcast Research

FUNAKOSHI Masashi / HAGA Shion

in Japanese