Nielsen Wire » TV viewing trends

Technology Expands, But TV Continues To Rule

Nielsen Wire — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:10:51 +0000

Despite the proliferation of mobile devices and online video, television continues to capture the most viewers, according to recent Nielsen research. But how people are watching television has evolved and it is these advances that have made TV more relevant than ever. They aren’t necessarily “watching TV” on TV – they are increasingly likely to watch TV programs on the Internet or on their cell phones, according to an article in the The New York Times.

The average U.S. household has 2.7 people and 2.9 TVs. For the quarter ended September 2008, the average American watched 142 hours of TV per month, an increase of five hours from the same period in 2007. Average Internet usage also increased, to an average of 27 hours per month.

So how has TV managed to maintain its lead? The variety of channels available on cable and satellite is clearly one factor. There’s a network for virtually every interest. Second, programming produced for TV is driving growth in other channels like the Internet and mobile. The ability to download TV shows from iTunes or stream from Hulu.com or TV network site has enabled fans to watch their favorite programs when and where they want.

In U.S., Hi-Def TV Household Penetration Tops 23%

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:06:20 +0000

Almost one-quarter of all U.S. television households (23.3%) own a high definition TV set as of Nov. 30, Nielsen reported Thursday.

Nielsen’s estimates are based on a field staff review that identified TV sets capable of receiving and displaying high definition pictures, as well as those that are actually receiving those signals.

High definition TV penetration in the U.S. has more than doubled since July 2007, when Nielsen began tracking HDTV status. At that time, only 10% of U.S. homes had access to high definition TV.

Month/Year	% of U.S. Households With HDTV
November 2008	23.3%
October 2008	22.2%
September 2008	21.3%
August 2008	20.4%
July 2008	19.6%
June 2008	18.9%
May 2008	18.1%
April 2008	17.1%
March 2008	16.2%
February 2008	15.3%
January 2008	14.5%
December 2007	13.5%
November 2007	12.8%
October 2007	12.1%
September 2007	11.3%
August 2007	10.5%
July 2007	10.0%
Source: The Nielsen Company (July 1, 2007 – November 30, 2008).

Washington, D.C., where 31.1% of homes are HDTV-enabled, has the highest HDTV penetration of Nielsen’s 18 largest local TV markets. Boston and New York follow, with HDTV penetrations of 30.5% and 30.2%, respectively. Detroit has the lowest HDTV penetration: 20.9% of homes.

Top 18 Nielsen Local TV Markets	% Households In Market With HDTV (November 2008)
Washington, DC (Hagerstown)	31.1%
Boston (Manchester)	30.5%
New York	30.2%
Seattle-Tacoma	29.8%
Philadelphia	29.1%
Los Angeles	28.9%
Chicago	27.0%
Phoenix	26.9%
San Francisco-Oak-San Jose	26.8%
Tampa-St. Pete (Sarasota)	26.7%
Denver	26.4%
Atlanta	25.7%
Dallas-Ft. Worth	25.0%
Houston	23.7%
Cleveland – Akron	23.6%
Minneapolis – St. Paul	21.6%
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale	21.4%
Detroit	20.9%
Total U.S.	23.3%
Source: The Nielsen Company (November 30, 2008).

Sporting events have the highest index of viewing in HDTV households, with HDTV receivable and capable homes watching 54% more sports than households that are not HDTV capable. Political programming and awards shows are also popular with HDTV households.

View the full press release.

Read coverage of Nielsen’s findings on Contentinople.com and in Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News, and Media Post,

Has The Tough Economy Changed Americans’ TV Habits?

admin — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:05:50 +0000

The ongoing financial crisis has had far-reaching effects in the U.S., where it has taken a toll on everything from Americans’ shopping habits to their retirement savings.

Could the dire economic conditions also be changing the way Americans watch TV?

Yes and no, according to a Nielsen report released Friday, which found that Americans are watching more cable news this year than they did last year. Between September 15, 2008 and October 19, 2008, tuning to cable news networks almost doubled, versus the same period last year, according to Nielsen.

U.S. homes with the highest household incomes ($100,000+/year) — who likely have the largest investments — showed the greatest percentage growth in cable news viewership over last year (+125%). Among households with the lowest annual incomes (less than $20,000), cable news viewership in September and October showed the smallest growth from the same period in 2007 (+38%).

A caveat: the presidential race is likely drawing more cable news tuning in 2008. As such, growth in cable news tuning cannot be attributed solely to viewers’ interest in the economic crisis.

Population Segment (by annual household income)	Household Ratings: Cable News Networks* (Sept. 17 – Oct. 21, 2007)	Household Ratings: Cable News Networks* Sept. 15 – Oct. 19, 2008
All Households	1.5	2.8
HH Income < $20,000	1.3	1.8
HH Income $20-40k	1.6	2.5
HH Income $40-60k	1.6	2.7
HH Income = $60,000-74,999	1.5	3.0
HH Income = $75,000-99,999	1.6	3.2
HH Income = $100,000+	1.6	3.6
Source: The Nielsen Company (Sept. 17 – Oct. 21, 2007 and Sept. 15 – Oct. 19, 2008).
*Note: Sources include CNBC, CNN, Fox News Channel, Headline News, and MSNBC. Daypart is Monday – Sunday, 6am-6am.

Meanwhile, despite shrinking household budgets and widespread belt-tightening, Americans are not downgrading from cable and satellite TV plans to less expensive broadcast only TV service.

As of September, 1.4% of homes that received cable or satellite service in September 2007 had downgraded to broadcast only service. That percentage of down-graders remains unchanged from last year, when the U.S. economy was still relatively healthy.

View the full report.

“Hockey Moms” Tune In For Prez, V.P. Debates

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:02:53 +0000

“Hockey moms” — famously invoked by Gov. Sarah Palin in her V.P. campaign speeches — may also have a passion for politics.

According to a Nielsen analysis released Tuesday, “hockey moms” — defined as women ages 25 to 54 who live in homes with children and who watched at least six minutes of the most recent Stanley Cup Finals on NBC – were more likely than average moms to watch the first two debates of the 2008 election.

Last Thursday, Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin’s V.P. debate drew 23.8% of all mothers (ages 25 to 54), while 33% of those women defined as “hockey moms” tuned in. Overall, “hockey moms” were 38.7% more likely than average moms to have watched the V.P. debate.

In comparison, the first debate between Senators McCain and Obama, on Sept. 26, drew 16.5% of all mothers (25 to 54). Among those classified as “hockey moms,” however, 21.3% tuned in to the debate, making “hockey moms” 29.1% more likely than average moms to have watched the McCain and Obama’s debate.

Read coverage of Nielsen’s findings in the Boston Herald and Broadcasting & Cable.