Commentary

Consumers Staying Tuned to TV's, But Some Pick Online

Consumers Staying Tuned to TV's, But Some Pick Online

The Nielsen Company reported that television tuning during the 2006-2007 television year (9/18/06-9/23/07) remained at the record levels set the previous year, while the number of homes with Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) more than doubled.

According to the Nielsen report:

  • The total average time a household had a TV set tuned during the 2006-2007 television year was 8 hours and 14 minutes per day
  • The average amount of television watched by individual viewers during the 2006-07 television year dipped by 1 minute per day to 4 hours and 34 minutes
  • The number of households with Digital Video Recorders today stands at 20.5% of Nielsen's National People Meter sample, up from 17.2% in May 2007. When Nielsen began including households with DVRs in its samples in January 2006, DVR penetration was estimated to be approximately 8% of households

Patricia McDonough, Senior Vice President of Planning Policy & Analysis at Nielsen Media Research, said "...(though)... there are numerous screens competing for time and attention, as well as consumer devices providing new ways for viewers to watch their favorite shows... (the results of this study) demonstrate that tuning to traditional television remains strong."

Total Day Tuning &Viewing

 

Household Tuning

Persons 2+ Viewing

Broadcast Year(Sept-Sept)

Average Hours: Minutes Total Day

Average Hours: Minutes Total Day

2006 - 2007

8:14

4:34

2005 - 2006

8:14

4:35

2004 - 2005

8:11

4:32

2003 - 2004

8:01

4:25

2002 - 2003

7.55

4.25

2001 - 2002

7.42

4.18

2000 - 2001

7.39

4.15

Source: NielsenMedia, October 2007

 

 

Primetime Tuning & Viewing Levels

 

Household Tuning

Persons 2+ Viewing

Broadcast Year(Sept-Sept)

Average Hours: Minutes Primetime

Average Hours: Minutes Primetime

2006 - 2007

1:52

1:10

2005 - 2006

1:54

1:11

2004 - 2005

1:53

1:11

2003 - 2004

1:52

1:10

2002 - 2003

1:52

1:10

2001 - 2002

1:51

1:10

2000 - 2001

1:52

1:10

Source: NielsenMedia, October 2007

Though the viewing time of television sets continues to grow, About 16% of US Internet households watch TV broadcasts online, according to The Conference Board and TNS. Respondents said that TV on the Internet had replaced news programs as their most widely viewed online content, reports eMarketer.

According to eMarketer projections, by 2011 there will be 200 million broadband Internet users. Of them, 183 million, or 91%, will watch online videos.

Key US TV and Internet Metrics(2006 & 2011 millions)

 

2006

2011

TV viewers

283.5

298.5

Broadband Internet users

133.4

200.2

Online video viewers

114.3

183.0

TV households

111.6

119.4

Broadband households

54.6

89.9

VOD enabled households

29.7

58.4

DVR households

18.6

45.1

Source: eMarketer, October 2007

And, entertainment on the Web has replaced news as respondents most widely viewed Online content.

Type of Online TV Content Watched by US Online Households(Q3, 2007, % of respondents)

TV Content

Head of Household Watches

Other Household Members Watch

News

44.3%

34.3%

Sports

17.2

18.3

Entertainment

44.8

40.0

Previews

24.4

19.9

Content from favorite shows

17.5

17.6

Entire episodes/shows

49.1

44.1

Catch up on missed content

41.8

36.4

Source: eMarketer, October 2007

Paul Verna, senior analyst at eMarketer, suggests that "Rather than a wholesale shift in viewership from TV to the new-media channels, both media will actually grow in the next several years. Internet video will entrench itself in the content mainstream, right alongside TV, albeit not in such pervasive numbers."

For more information on the Nielsen Study, please visit here.

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