Nearly One-Quarter of U.S. Homes HDTV Equipped

NEW YORK, December 12: The
penetration of HDTV has reached 23.3 percent in the U.S., Nielsen reports, with
sporting events having the highest index of viewing.

Households with
high-definition television are watching 54 percent more sports than those that
are not HDTV equipped. Other genres that are popular among HDTV households
include political programming (25-percent more popular) and awards shows
(10-percent more popular).

When Nielsen began
tracking HDTV status in the U.S., in July 2007, only 10 percent of homes had
high-definition sets. Nielsen attributes the accelerated penetration to factors
such as the lower prices for HDTV equipment, the increased availability of
high-definition programming and the purchases of new TV sets in preparation for
the digital transition, set for February 2009.

—By
Kristin Brzoznowski