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One fifth of those in the 16-24 age range said that they always browse the internet while watching television, but the phenomenon is not limited to younger viewers. Nearly half of those aged 55 years and older said that they have also "two-timed" television and the web.

The research also shows that this new way of consuming television may be reducing the amount of attention paid to advertising. Only a quarter of respondents said that they search online for products advertised on television.

Blinkx provides an online

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video search engine that aggregates content from several producers, so it is no surprise that its survey also highlights the rise in online viewing of television content.

The company claims that over half of UK adults now regularly watch content online, with one in five viewing whole TV shows, films or sporting events on the web.

"It's interesting to see that internet surfing is now challenging the way we watch television," says Suranga Chandratillake, founder and CEO, blinkx.

"The UK no longer wants to be a nation of passive viewers. They want to find out as much information as possible, and want to discover this through the internet at the same time as they are watching the content on the television.".

The increased popularity of online video is causing problems for service providers, though. The BBC claims that it is now serving half a million television shows daily via its iPlayer service, prompting claims that it has tripled costs for ISPs.