More than 2300 Australians were surveyed for Deloitte’s annual media consumer survey, which looked at how Australians across four generations and five age groups prefer to consume media.

The survey results showed 63% of respondents now owning tablets as well as laptops (87%) and smartphones (81%), while 79% use one of these devices while watching TV (up 8% from last year).

Deloitte said when it comes to social though, that’s where the growth is. Australians are checking social networks a lot – up 170% since last year – with some of us doing so more than 20 times a day.

And advertising on social media is increasingly influential – a third of us (33%) find it influential when it comes to buying decisions.

Deloitte Media Partner and co-author of the report Niki Alcorn said: “In this year’s survey, digital has come of age.

“Our findings on what we use, where we use it and how, all show that Australians are increasingly sophisticated and savvy when it comes to digital. Even the matures and boomers, who are our fastest growing group of tablet users at 42% and 21% compound annual growth respectively, are multitasking while watching TV. They mostly read emails or surf the web.

“It is the speed at which we are changing to digital that is most impressive,” said Alcorn. “Our shift to social is up 170%, and our shift in entertainment preferences to the internet from TV has grown 10% year on year for the past three to its current 63% preference versus 64% for TV.

“In Australia for instance there is a greater proportion of ‘digital omnivores’ than in the US (37%) or Japan (17%). And at 53% we are just behind Norway’s 57%, although we lag China (63%).

“As well as speed, we think the way we consume media is also about convenience,” said Alcorn. “For instance when it comes to TV and video content, we rent movie and TV shows using whichever method is most convenient at the time, with a preference for digital emerging. Over the next couple of years almost a quarter of survey respondents say they will subscribe to an online streaming service, with 21% intending to rent a digital copy.

“And convenience is also key when it comes to watching our favourite TV shows. While live TV on a home system is still the most common way to view (65%), almost a quarter of us will watch the show later on a DVR through the home TV system, or use catch-up services, including a free online video services and a show’s internet site (18%).

Stuart Johnston, the Technology, Media and Telecommunications lead partner at Deloitte said industries had to look more closely at how Australians were consuming digital media.

“The insights around digital, convenience and influence in this year’s media consumer survey, and the preferences, attitudes and behaviours they call out are important for telecommunications, media and technology businesses. But not exclusively so.

“The challenges of anticipating and responding to digital consumers’ changing behaviours when it comes to connecting with customers across platforms and devices, can inform many industries.

“The insights reveal what Australians are prepared to pay for, and what they will not, how we like to be entertained, on what devices and technologies, and who and what we respond to. These attitudes will be useful across a broad sweep of industries – both private and public.

“In what has fast become the digital age, understanding its shifts, tipping points and influences – especially our peripatetic social networks – as well as how advertising fits into the picture, will help businesses design better and more robust ways to work with their clients and customers, as well as their employees.