TV Viewing Increases Cross-Platform

Even with more media choices, the average American continues to watch more TV. A new Nielsen report shows that in the April-July period, the average person watched nearly 2 hours and 45 minutes more a month than in the same period a year ago.

 

That marked a rise of about 2% to an average of 146 hours and 20 minutes a month.

 

Surprisingly, however, the amount of DVR-playback viewing barely rose. Among those in homes with a DVR, they watched on average about 24.5 hours a month via time-shifting, up just 0.1%.

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Nielsen says 39% of TV homes now have a DVR (45.3 million).

 

In the second quarter, the amount of online video viewing rose by 14.7% to an average of nearly 4 and a half minutes. Viewing on mobile devices also increased substantially to an average of 4 hours and 20 minutes, up 19.8%.

 

About half (48%) of Americans now watch at least some video online and 10% do so on mobile.

 

Older viewers continue to watch significantly more TV than their younger counterparts. One snapshot has the amount at nearly double in an average week. Americans ages 65-plus watched an average of 46 hours and 16 minutes of TV a week, compared to 24 hours and 17 minutes for those ages 18 to 24.

 

The percentage of homes paying for TV service held steady at about 90%, although there was some reshuffling with the number who subscribe to telco TV service up, along with satellite service, while cable declined.

  

Nielsen says 72% of homes have both a pay-TV and broadband subscription.

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