Nielsen: Americans watching more TV than ever

Don't tell NBC, but Americans are watching more TV than ever before.

Nielsen's fourth-quarter report says the average American watches more than 151 hours of TV per month -- an all-time high.

The study backs up previous reports showing TV viewership growing, even as the Big Four broadcast networks struggle in the ratings. The proliferation of quality content on cable networks, and the use of DVRs and growth of online streaming have contributed to an overall live viewership decline for the largest and most established networks.

Also in Nielsen's findings: Fans who watch TV shows on the Internet consume about three hours of online video per month, and those who use mobile video watch nearly four hours per month.

“The American fascination with television and other video content is not easing up, as consumers keep turning to TV, Internet and mobile at record levels,” said Susan Whiting, Nielsen’s vice chair. "It is clear that TV remains the main vehicle for viewing video, although online and mobile platforms are an increasingly important complement to live home-based television.”

The study also found:

>> The number of TV viewing hours tends to increase with age (except during teenage years)

>> Use of video on the Internet peaks among young adults; mobile video is highest among teens

>> Men watch video on mobile phones more than women; women continue to watch video on the Internet and TV more than men.

>> Viewers are using their DVRs for time-shifted viewing twice as much as they're watching video online. Yet young adults are watching video on DVRs and online in equal amounts.

>> The work day (Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm) continues to be primetime for Internet video -- which means a lot of workers watching TV in their cubes.

Comments

[Bryan Bennett]

This is a great study from Nielsen and really puts the "broadcast tv vs online video" battle into prospective. Broadcast dominates 50:1 and even 30:1 for younger demographics. Now we can get on to more important things like why Grey's Anatomy is still on the air.

[SludgeHeap]

Lately I've been watching Airwolf online. However, I'm viewing it in a window while working on other programs at home. I can imagine how others are doing the same thing at work.
I still watch the new shows like 24 on the real tube.