Nielsen: TV Time for Average American is on the Rise

NEW YORK, July 8: The average American spent 127 hours and
15 minutes watching TV at home in May of this year, a 4-percent increase on
last year, while time spent watching time-shifted TV was up 56 percent to 5
hours and 50 minutes.

Internet usage was also up, by 9 percent to 26 hours and 26
minutes. Nielsen’s Three Screen Report
also reported that the average American spent 2 hours and 19 minutes watching
video on the Internet in May, and 3 hours and 15 minutes viewing mobile
content.

There were notable differences among different demographics.
Adults 65-plus spent the most time on traditional TV, with almost 178 hours,
followed by 55 to 63 with 160 hours, 45 to 54 with 145 hours, 35 to 44 with 124
hours, 25 to 34 with 119 hours and 18 to 24 with 103 hours. The average teen
spent 89 hours watching TV in May, while the average kid 2 to 11 spent 87
hours.

Adults 25 to 34 are the most avid users of time-shifted TV,
clocking in 9 hours and 28 minutes, followed by 8 hours and 13 minutes for the
35 to 44 set and almost 7 hours for 45- to 54-year olds. Adults 55 to 64 spent
close to 6 hours a month on time shifted TV, followed by kids with over 4
hours. Teens spent just three and a half hours with time shifted TV, with 18-
to 24-year-olds recording close to 4 hours. The 65-plus group spent less than 3
hours on time shifted TV.

Adults 35 to 44 clocked up the most Internet time—38
hours and 47 minutes. The 18-24 and teen sets spent just over 12 hours
online—less than half of the 26 hours spent by the 65-plus demo. Kids
spent about 5 hours on the Internet. However, online video watching did not
differ greatly among age groups, ranging from 1 hour and 12 minutes for 65-plus
to 3 hours and 41 minutes for the 18 to 24 group.

More than 65 percent of U.S. homes are receiving digital
cable or satellite TV services, receiving close to 160 channels. Furthermore,
25 percent have DVRs and 35 percent use VOD services.

"Commercial television is alive and well—growing
1 percent year over year—despite the rapid adoption of other
platforms," said John Burbank, the chief marketing officer for The Nielsen
Company. "Moreover, timeshifting represents less than 5 percent of total
viewing."

Nielsen reports that 220 million Americans have Internet
access at home and/or work, and 73 percent, or 162 million, went online in May.
Plus, 119 million unique viewers viewed 7.5 billion video streams the period.
And as of the first quarter, 91 million Americans owned a video-capable phone.

—By Mansha Daswani