The latest study out of Nielsen Research (also covered by MultiChannel News) has a raft of interesting TV statistics. But since we all know how deceiving numbers can be, I thought I’d add a little context to the facts and figures. For your reading pleasure…
Boob Tube-onomics
• There are an average of 111.4 million TV homes in the United States for the 2006-07 TV season.
Given a US population of around 300 Million, with an average household of 2.5 people (see below), this means that roughly 93% of American homes have TVs.
• The average U.S. TV home has 2.5 people and 2.8 television sets.
The primary TV in consumer homes was bought at an average price of $783. Not cheap, but even doubled or tripled it’s a lot less expensive than .5 of a kid for your typical couple.
• 28% of U.S. TV homes have digital cable.
More than half of cable subscribers to the top two cable companies get digital services: 52% of Comcast subscribers and 54% of Time Warner subscribers.
More after the jump…
• 64% of homes have wired cable hook-ups (down from 68% in 2000) and 23% have satellite or specialized antenna systems to receive television signals.
According to another Nielsen statistic, cable penetration reached a 17-year low in February of 61.3%.
• 82% of U.S homes have more than one television set at home.
With no help from the subsidy program, each analog set will cost you between $50 and $75 each in 2009 for a digital converter.
• 84% of U.S. homes have a DVD player.
Guess the streaming media revolution hasn’t hit quite yet…
And how many have digital satellite? That’s what at least half the people around here have since Adelphia – ahem – Comcast costs so much more and the prices keep rising. We booted out our cable years ago and went with digital satellite via DirecTV then got a DSL/phone/wireless package from Verizon. Not cheap but still cheaper than the digital cable, dsl from Adelphi/cast plus Verizon phone and wireless.
Oh, and I have lifetime Tivo too.
“23% have satellite or specialized antenna systems to receive television signals.”
“cable penetration reached a 17-year low”