This paper presents the main results of a study conducted in Portugal with the aim of identifying the current trends of the television ecosystem, with special relevance to understand the cognitive processes of viewers when selecting what to watch on TV. To this end, an online survey targeted mainly to young adults with mid to high academic degrees was designed. The survey gathered more than 600 responses, of which 550 were validated and taken into account in the data analysis. The results provide a detailed insight about the habits, dynamics and behaviors of spectators regarding the actual scenario of television. It also allowed the identification of the most relevant criteria considered by viewers when deciding what to watch on TV. The most important ones include the program genre followed by the state of mind (mood), the people who share the couch with and the time available to watch TV. The results also provide a structuring framework for the design of interactive television applications, targeted to this audience in the areas of personalization, recommendation and search and discovery of TV content.