• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, May 16, 2012

Audiences continue to own more HDTV sets, but the number of ads shot in high-definition appearing on Hispanic-targeted networks and stations lags behind the general market, according to new research. Extreme Reach, a video ad serving company, says 60% fewer HD ads were aired on Hispanic-targeted TV than non-Hispanic-aimed TV in the first quarter of 2012.

Extreme Reach said Consumer Electronics Association data shows that 78% of Hispanic audiences own an HDTV versus 68% of non-Hispanics.

Yet in the first three months of this year, only 7% of ads running on local Hispanic-aimed stations were in HD, versus 18% across all local broadcast outlets, according to Extreme Reach.

“By distributing HD advertising to Hispanic broadcasters in markets where there is high HD adoption, advertisers may be able to make a difference with sizable, yet underserved Hispanic audiences, given the effectiveness of the HD format in building brands,” stated John Roland, CEO of Extreme Reach.

Extreme Reach also found that in the top five Hispanic markets by size, Houston had the largest gap between HD adoption of local Hispanic broadcasters (33%) and HD adoption by the other broadcasters (60%). In Los Angeles, New York, Miami and Dallas, HD adoption by Hispanic-aimed stations are closer to the national average (54%) for HD adoption by local stations.

Extreme Reach data was culled from 1,750 advertisers and 225,000 HD and standard-definition ads delivered in the first quarter of 2012.

Hispanic-Americans represent the fastest segment growth of all U.S. consumers, according to Nielsen, which says their buying power will rise by 50% to $1.5 trillion in 2015.