HDTV Ownership Is High, Viewing Rates Low

Sony HD TVHigh-definition televisions are now in the majority -- but HD viewing is still far behind.

Nielsen Company says 56% of TV homes have HDTV -- which can boast one of the fastest adopted consumer technologies ever. But viewers haven't bought into all HDTV services.

Only 13% of total day viewing on cable and 19% of viewing on broadcast television is HD viewing, which requires an HD television and HD tuner tuned to an HD channel. Nielsen says more than 80% of TV viewing is still done in standard definition.

Nielsen says 44% of homes either do not have an HD set or HD services. Most HD homes also have at least one (SD) Standard Definition TV set. About 20% of viewing on HD sets is on SD services.

Not surprisingly, the highest percentage of viewing on cable networks is with sports programming -- representing around 21% of TV homes. Younger viewers are generally the biggest HD viewers. People 18-34 represent 28% of HD sports viewers and 23% of entertainment viewers.

TV news networks -- also in HD -- garnered big numbers -- 20% of 35-64 viewers and somewhat mysteriously, 22% of kids 2-11.

Looking at race and ethnicity, Nielsen says about two-thirds of Asian TV homes are set up to watch HD TV, compared to about half of African-American homes.

 

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2 comments about "HDTV Ownership Is High, Viewing Rates Low".
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  1. William Hughes from Arnold Aerospace, November 9, 2010 at 9:35 a.m.

    I own two Large-Screen HD Sets, both of them purchased during "Black Friday" Sales in 2005 and 2007, respectively. I enjoying watching Movies and TV Shows on them, but none of the shows I watch are available in High-Defination. Does this bother me? Nope! I am perfectly content watching my shows in Standard defination, and I don't see any Justification in paying the Premium Price to see any show in High Defination. In other words, If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

  2. Fred Cunha from Extreme Reach, November 9, 2010 at 10:05 a.m.

    Every time I have to watch a show in SD, I die a little...
    My wife, on the other hand, could not care less about HD.

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