Commentary
TV Watching Among 18-24s Continues Decline
- by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, July 9, 2015
According to the latest quarterly TV viewing figures from Nielsen, reported by Marketing Charts, youth as a whole are watching less TV, and the decline appears to be accelerating, says the report. As the data in the Q1 2015 total audience report from Nielsen shows, the drop-off in viewing by the 18-24 demographic isn’t showing any signs of reversing.
Traditional TV Viewing Trends Among 18-24 Year Olds (Weekly Time Spent; Hrs:Min; Total 18-24 Population) | ||||
Year | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 |
2011 | 26:28 | 24:17 | 23:57 | 25:34 |
2012 | 24:44 | 22:32 | 21:59 | 23:14 |
2013 | 23:24 | 21:32 | 21:45 | 22:17 |
2014 | 2149 | 19:01 | 17:34 | 18:33 |
2015 | 18:04 |
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Source: Nielsen, June 2015 | ||||
Nielsen’s most recent study indicates that Americans aged 18-24 watched a weekly average of about 18 hours of traditional TV during Q1 2015, a year-over-year decline of 3 hours and 45 minutes per week. I18-24-year-olds as a group have gone from watching about 3-and-a-quarter-hours per day, during the first quarter of 2014, to a little more than 2-and-half hours per day this year. Probably, says the report, explained by streaming.
Between 2011 and 2015, Q1 TV viewing by 18-24-year-olds dropped by almost 8-and-a-half hours per week, or by more than an hour a day. The largest decline occurred within the past year, between Q1 2014 and Q1 2015.
In percentage terms, traditional TV viewing among 18-24-year-olds in Q1 2015 was down by more than 17% year-over-year, comparable to Q4 2014’s decline. Between Q1 2011 and Q1 2015, weekly viewing by this demographic has fallen by close to 32%. In the space of 4 years, says the report, almost one-third of this age group’s traditional TV viewing time has migrated to other activities.
A comparison of weekly consumption figures for each medium by age group, shows that adults spend more time with TV than any other platform; the age group 18-34 spends almost as much time using digital devices as they do watching TV; and radio has the most consistent minutes of usage across all age groups.
Weekly Hours;Minutes of Communication Usage In The Population | |||||
Cohort | TV | Radio | PC | Smartphone | Tablet |
All adults | 36:07 | 12:58 | 5:34 | 7:17 | 3:34 |
P 18-34 | 21:55 | 11:05 | 5:04 | 9:53 | 3:43 |
P 35-49 | 33:05 | 13:39 | 6:58 | 8:52 | 4:50 |
P 50+ | 47:24 | 13:50 | 5:05 | 4:37 | 2:44 |
Source: Nielsen, June 2015 | |||||
For additional information from the Nielsen Total Audience Report, Q1 2015, please visit here.
Jack Loechner is the Editor of The Center for Media Research's daily Research Brief. You can reach him at jack@mediapost.com.
Last one out, turn out the lights.
Douglas, I doubt that the average number of hours of "traditional TV" viewing by 18-24s will ever reach Zero. There are too many not so bright people in this age group for that to happen.
Dear Douglas,
Get a grip!
These are not End Times for TV. Hopefully, these will be End Times for Nielsen's incomplete, incompetent, and indefensible video measurement.
Let's review history:
Nielsen TV Ratings launched, 1950.
Color TV launched by NBC, January 1, 1954.
Nielsen launches National TV People Meter Measurement, 1987.
Netflix streaming introduced January 17, 2007.
iPhone introduced June 29, 2007.
iPad introduced April 3, 2010.
Chromecast introduced July 24, 2013 ... for $35.
Nielsen holds National Client Meeting & fails to review TV ratings methodology, June 22-24, 2015.
Given that timeline, we'll be waiting “awhile longer" before Nielsen stops blaming 18-24's for its senior management deficiencies and declines in young adult viewing that are methodological artifacts.“Blame=Shifting” seems to be a core competency at NTI, NHI & NSI.
Adults 18-24 are watching TV, only today one calls it "Video," and Nielsen has not budgeted to keep its measurement in synch with technology, preferring swollen profits to requisite progress.
Let’s Stop Blaming "Generation C" (or Y) for Nielsen’s inadequacies and force Nielsen To Get Connected! That includes you, Douglas, & you, Jack Loechner @mp_research. Please. Onwards & upwards!
Regards,
Nicholas
Please read Wayne Friedman in MediaPost! (Please Use Link Offered Below.)
Stop reading Nielsen's solipsistic PR.
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/253536/tv-streaming-rises-as-digital-usage-increases.htmlutm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=mostcomment&utm_campaign=84377
Experienced and insightful reporter Friedman provides great perspective on the "measurement challenge" and "Nielsen's lassitude" when it comes to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities to Clients. GfK sheds more light than the latest Nielsen Quarterly.
Easier for Nielsen to blame the errant viewer (i.e., Generation C) and the overworked subscribers (i.e., media planners, buyers, sellers & researchers) than to "do the right thing & do things right" (Drucker).
Thank you, MediaPost. If readers understood what you published, the comments would be less apoplectic and more constructive.
Onwards & upwards!
Nick
NPS,LLC
Let's review a little relevant history:
Now, its time for Nielsen to get a grip on reality ... and stop blaming Generation C.
Onwards & upwards!