Online viewing fast making TV couch potatoes history

London: It seems the days of the couch potato have come to an end, as large number of TV viewers are watching their favourite shows online without having to be forced to waiting for them in front of the Idiot Box. A study has found that more than one in three people now view their favourite programmes over the web. And when it comes to students, this figure almost doubles. The study, by online TV service SeeSaw.com and the Radio Times, identified changes in the way people view their programmes. "The couch potato is dead, the age of the hunter-gatherer is nigh,” Sky News quoted Ben Preston, editor of Radio Times, as saying. "Technology means television isn’t a passive activity any more. We hunt down what we want to watch,” he added. SeeSaw`s John Keeling said: "Viewing across the board is in robust health but scratch the surface and a quiet revolution is taking place... a whole new generation of TV fans is enjoying these shows online." The study found that only 29 percent of students watched shows mainly on live TV, while 56 percent said they watched online. Just over a third of all those who took part (34 percent) said they now watched their favourite shows online. Viewers told the survey they want to see more drama and documentaries rather than reality and celebrity shows. A total of 44 percent said ‘Big Brother’ was the show they were most likely to avoid, with the X Factor landing 6 percent of the poll. ‘Top Gear’ was named the nation’s favourite show. ANI