U.S. sports television had a banner year in 2009. Advances in satellite television, high-definition technology and the Internet provided fans with rich, 24/7 access to their favorite teams. Picking winners for 2010? Bet on globalization.

Half of all U.S. households own a video game console or handheld system—and despite the stereotypes about teenage males, gamers are not monolithic. While gamers spend most on new games, game rentals provide an extra conduit to spark sales.

Video games based on films have long provided fans an opportunity to enhance their movie experience by taking control of the central characters and reliving the action firsthand.

The consumer has entered an age of enlightenment with expanded options for devices, content, and schedules. What does the next 3-5 years have in store? Five key trends will have a significant impact.

Rather than Americans replacing TV with the Internet or a mobile device, they are just consuming more—often simultaneously. Despite the availability of video content on the Internet, TV viewing is up by about 20% over the last decade.

In the audience-centric Web, metrics will answer traditional marketing questions: Who saw my ad? Did I affect the way they think about my product? Did they actually buy more?

More than 11 billion video streams were served up in the U.S. in the month of November, a 17% jump from the same time period last year.

As a preview of key media themes for the 2010 CES, Nielsen Executive Vice President and Vice Chair Susan Whiting recorded a podcast with UpNext at CES, to discuss time-shifting, consumer choice and how ratings are becoming smarter across all three screens.

Reality TV shows and sporting events were among the most-viewed shows of 2009, while several science fiction shows saw boosts from the use of “time-shifted” viewing.

While people 65 and older still make up less than 10 percent of the active Internet universe, their numbers are on the rise. In the last five years, the number of seniors actively using the Internet has increased by more than 55 percent, from 11.3 million active users in November 2004 to 17.5 million in November 2009. Among people 65+, the growth of women in the last five years has outpaced the growth of men by 6 percentage points.