TV Viewing in the U.S. Continues to Increase

NEW YORK, September 21:
Despite increasing competition from new media platforms and devices, such as
iPods and streaming video, television viewing is on the rise in the U.S.,
according to Nielsen Media Research.

During the 2005-2006
television year, which ended on September 17, 2006, traditional in-home
television viewing continued to hold its own with American audiences, and even
gained among technology-savvy teenagers.

The total average time a
household watched television during the 2005-2006 television year was 8 hours
and 14 minutes per day, a 3-minute increase from the 2004-2005 season and a
record high. The average amount of television watched by an individual viewer
increased 3 minutes per day to 4 hours and 35 minutes, also a record.

Meanwhile, in prime time,
households tuned in an average of 1 hour and 54 minutes per night, up 1 minute,
and the average viewer watched 1 hour and 11 minutes, which was the same as
last year.

Although teenagers typically
drive consumption of new media platforms, teens aged 12-17 viewed 3 percent
more traditional television during the full day than in the 2004-2005
television year. This increase was
due primarily to teenage girls, who increased their total day viewing by 6
percent.

Younger children, from age
2 to 11, also watched more television during 2005-2006, increasing their total
day viewing levels by 4 percent.

"These results
demonstrate that television still holds its position as the most popular
entertainment platform," noted Patricia McDonough, the senior VP of
planning policy and analysis at Nielsen Media Research. "At this point, consumption of
emerging forms of entertainment, including Internet television and video on
personal devices, seem not to be making an impact on traditional television
viewing. This is especially true among teenage girls, who have shown
significant increases in viewing during the past year."