People Using TV Levels Drop 6%

by Wayne Friedman , July 14, 2015

Live TV PUT levels, which represent the percent of the Nielsen measure People Using TV, continues to drift lower.

In June, prime-time live TV PUTs witnessed a 6% decline versus a year ago to a 22.9% PUT level, according to MoffettNathanson Research analysis from Nielsen data. Live PUTs still dominates all usage among core 18-49 users. Time-shifted prime-time TV viewing also declined -- 5% to 4.1 PUT level.

One rare move upward among the traditional TV platforms was English language broadcast, which rose 3% during the period to a 6.2 PUT-- in part due to rising NBA playoff and finals coverage.

A big loser was Spanish-language broadcast -- down 20% to a 1.6 number. Ad-supported cable TV also took a tumble last month -- off 9% to 14.3 -- but still maintaining the highest PUT level of any TV category.

Of the newer TV areas, video game console use grew 21% to a 2.9 PUT number and multimedia devices use (Internet connected devices, such as Apple TV, Roku, as well as smartphones, tablets, computers, laptops) doubled -- albeit from a small base -- up 100% to 2.0 PUT level.

Younger viewers continue to drift away from TV. June PUT prime-time levels for 18-24 year old were down 16%; 12-17s were down 11%; and 2-11s off 3%.

demographics, media measurement, tv

5 comments about "People Using TV Levels Drop 6%".

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Steve Baldwin from Didit, July 14, 2015 at 1 p.m.
So the younger 18-24 folks -- a most desirable demographic -- are down 16 percent YOY?

That's jaw-dropping.
Reply

Ed Papazian from Media Dynamics Inc, July 14, 2015 at 1:50 p.m.

Steve, if you go back five years, not four, the decline is 20%, so they are consuming about 4-5% less "traditional TV" per year.

I wouldn't call this "jaw dropping", however. The 18-24 group is, traditionally, the smallest and the lightest viewing adult segment to start with and it's no surprise to see it constantly exploring new vistas...that penchant seems to go with the age. What surprised me was the increase in 65+ viewing---up about 10% in five years. What are these folks watching that's so interesting? Or are we seeing something that represents some methodological issue with Nielsen's panel? Hmmm?

Nicholas Schiavone from Nicholas P. Schiavone, LLC, July 14, 2015 at 7:14 p.m.

Diaper Management
Diaper Data
Diaper Rash
Diaper Bag

Redefining disposable ...

I'll get back to you when I have recovered from the blinding glimpse of the obvious, Wayne.

Nicholas Schiavone from Nicholas P. Schiavone, LLC, July 15, 2015 at 1:18 p.m.

Welcome to “Wayne’s World.“ Wayne Friedman’s that is! Like the epic movie series, his features expose slackers.

A few years ago, a Gartner Study found only 6 percent of companies survive longer than two years after losing data. How apt: Supposedly, live TV Usage has dropped 6%. In fact, it would seem that basically only the measurement methodology declined, not the behavior measured.

The Nielsen TV measurement would appear to leave much to be desired because its management seemingly failed to come to terms with reality in real time. Nielsen DVR’ed its problems and now has trouble catching up. Thus, leaving Clients with a video measurement that would seem to be incomplete, incompetent, and indefensible.

History has some explanatory power:
Nielsen TV Ratings launched, 1950.
Color TV launched by NBC, January 1, 1954.
Nielsen launches National TV People Meter Measurement, 1987.
New "Internet" Age launches with online services like AOL for DOS in 1991|Windows in 1992.
Apple Macintosh PowerBook introduced 1991.
IBM ThinkPad introduced 1992.
Amazon.com, Inc., the electronic commerce company, launched July 5, 1994.
TiVo Digital Video Recorder (DVR) introduced 1999.
Cable Television Subscriptions, says FCC, peak around 2000 (but started in 1949).
Twitter and Facebook, the social networking services, launched in July and Sept. of 2006.
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 Nat’l Client Meeting; Fails to review TV ratings methodology, June 22-24, 2015.

To be continued ...
in the Comment immediately following to respect MediaPost space restrictions

And still signed in as Nicholas Schiavone of Nicholas P. Schiavone, LLC.

Nicholas Schiavone from Nicholas P. Schiavone, LLC, July 15, 2015 at 1:23 p.m.

Continued from prior NPS Comment (above) to comply with acknowledged MediaPost space restrictions.

Welcome to “Wayne’s World.“ Wayne Friedman’s that is! Like the epic movie series, his features expose slackers.

... (Please see prior Comment by NPS. Thank you.)

It took Nielsen a decade or more to get a grip on DVR Measurement and the need to correct sampling abnormalities with an MRC-approved and E&Y audited statistical weighing process. In the meantime, Nielsen seemed to develop a series of exhaustingly frustrating excuses for clients and published "bad" (i.e., incomplete) data...costly errata (without correction) for clients.

Now that the All-Star Break is over, Nielsen will re-start the old “blame” game. Like Captain Renault, the order will be issued: Round up the usual suspects. The first to be nabbed for crimes against TV Measurement will be the uncooperative, disconnected 18-34's.

Well, as Rick said: Here's looking at you, kid. One does not need the expertise of Ed Papazian to recognize a methodological artifact (i.e., the measurement reflecting its own aberrations as TV usage or non-usage data). Many of those assumed to be persons-not-using-TV are Persons-Using-Video (PUV). Nielsen appears simply to have budgeted not to keep its measurement in synch with technology, preferring swollen profits to requisite progress.

“Party! Excellent! You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll hurl."

Still signed in as Nicholas Schiavone of Nicholas P. Schiavone, LLC.