The Role of Individual and Structural Factors in Explaining Television Channel Choice and Duration

Abstract

Most previous research on predicting media choice has considered either individual or structural factors but has not integrated both approaches empirically. This study examines how individual and structural factors of media choice impact TV channel choice and duration using an integrated model. Using Nielsen Korea’s TV-Internet Convergence Panel data that electronically recorded television and Internet use behavior, this study analyzes which factors influence TV channel choice and duration. The results reveal that television channel choice is influenced by individual factors such as viewing motivations, age, and gender in addition to structural factors such as access and cost. However, duration is largely affected by structural factors such as lead-in and other media use. Overall, structural factors seem to increase the explanatory power of models for both television choice and duration to a much larger extent than individual factors.