Audio Video News

The average American spends nearly as much time in front of the TV as on the job, Nielsen figures show. Now if only we could get paid for the 35.6 hours per week most of us watch, the economy would skyrocket.

This was just one of the interesting figures in the Nielsen Company's "State of the Media 2010" report.

The heaviest viewers are adults over 65, at 48.9 hours a week. Kids 2-11, who you'd think would have more time on their hands than working adults, watch just 25.8 hours a week. The figures don't show how much time they spend texting or illegally downloading the latest Justin Bieber masterwork.

Twenty-one percent of all viewing in homes with DVRs is recorded. The amount of time-shifted TV watched per week is two hours, nine minutes. Forty-five percent of all recorded ads are viewed.

HDTV still has room for growth. Though the average household has 2.5 sets, only 0.6 of them are HDTVs, with the remaining 1.9 being SDTVs (presumably including old analog sets kept on life support by set-top boxes). SD-only households have just 2.1 sets while HD homes have 2.7, of which 1.5 are HD and 1.2 SD. There are four or more TVs in 31 percent of homes.

The outlook for 3DTVs is not bullish, with 59 percent of respondents saying they "definitely won't" buy one in the next year, while only six percent "definitely will" or "probably will." HDTVs, considered as "emerging media devices," are in 46 percent of homes and another 10 percent will spring this year, though they take second place to computers with high-speed internet service. Broadband-connected HDTVs are in 10 percent of homes and will expand to another 7 percent. See illustration for the runners-up.

See blog/fact sheet and full report (PDF). Tip of the hat to the Media Post.