Writers strike sends viewers to DVDs, video games

A video game enthusiast sits in a D-BOX GP-100 Motion Gaming Platform chair which enables him to feel the sensations of either driving a race car or piloting a plane at the HP booth at the E for All video game expo in Los Angeles, California October 19, 2007. The Hollywood writers strike looks like a boon for the DVD and video game industries.

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The Hollywood writers strike looks like a boon for the DVD and video game industries.

According to a survey released Thursday from new-media consultancy company Interpret, TV viewership has suffered because of the strike, particularly for dramas and sitcoms. Interpret finds that 27% of respondents are spending less time watching network series and 12% are watching less cable and satellite series.

Conversely, 43% of respondents say they are spending more time watching DVD movies and 23% say they're watching more TV-DVDs. Another 26% say they are spending more time playing video games.

"The strike makes scripted programming more valuable than ever," Interpret CEO Michael Dowling said. "As top shows disappear from primetime, viewers may go back and view critically lauded TV series they missed the first time around, play more video games or watch more movies on DVD."

The survey, conducted online January 11-12 among a representative sample of Americans 18-49, the demographic coveted by advertisers, also found that 94% of Americans are aware of the writers strike and that about one-third have changed their media consumption habits as a result.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter