• , Wednesday, July 29, 2009 9:56 PM

A growing number of recession-conscious Americans claim they are using the Web as a cable TV substitute, says the latest report by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. About 19% of Internet users surveyed say they visit video sites in a typical day, up from 8% three years ago.

More than one-third of Internet users claim to have streamed a TV show or movie online, versus just 16% in 2007, according to the report. And in these tough economic times, 22% of American adults say they have cut back or cancelled cable in the past year, while only 9% have cut back on paying for Internet services.

Within the cable-cutting segment, almost a third -- 32% -- say they've connected their computers to their TV to consume Web video, a step that until recently has proven to be intimidating to most Americans. Overall, a total of 8% of Internet users claim to have connected their TVs to the Internet, according to Pew's report-the majority of which were men.

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