Americans watch even more TV, on phones and computers too
If you've seen that Hulu commercial starring Alec Baldwin, you surely know that TV is a plot devised by aliens to turn our brains into mush so they can scoop them out and eat them. And online video and phones are making our brains even mushier, by giving us more places to watch TV.
The human race seems to be falling for this devious scheme, and aliens must be readying their sporks and knives. According to a Nielsen report out today, the average American watches more than 151 hours of TV per month. That's an all-time high, up 3.6% from the 145 or so hours Americans reportedly watched in the same period last year.
Newfangled distribution methods are also adding to the total: an extra three hours on the Internet for people who watch online video, and four hours on cellphones for those who watch mobile video, according to the report.
It's not just the kids who are firing up their computers to check out shows. Adults ages 18-24 spend five hours watching video online, while 25- to 34-year-olds spend just over four hours. Those ages 35-44 and 45-54 spend 3:20 and 2:34, respectively.
And on the Web, work time is still prime time. About 65% of online video viewers ...
... streamed content between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. (Perhaps with the threat of layoffs looming everywhere, sucking up corporate bandwidth is their way of paying back employers).
Internet usage overall grew 3.6% from the same time a year ago, to 27 hours a month, although adults ages 35-44 spend the most time every month using the Internet: 38 hours and 40 minutes. That time surely is spent doing very important things such as researching home prices and reading about how other people's lives stink.
The amount of time spent watching traditional TV increases with age. Teenagers (12-17) spend only 103 hours watching TV a month, whereas senior citizens (65 and older) spend 207 hours. That's about seven hours a day -- enough for two baseball games.
One of the biggest surprises in the report: Mobile video grew 9% from the previous quarter. Teens watch about 6 1/2 hours of video on a mobile phone per month, as opposed to the nearly three hours that adults ages 18-24 watch. Which makes you wonder -- who are all these teens with swanky enough phones to watch six hours of video a month? And if they're watching mobile video and not traditional TV, will their brains still turn to mush that might appeal to a hungry alien?
-- Alana Semuels
Shame because nothing but junk on Tv these days.
Posted by: Mott | February 23, 2009 at 11:51 PM
For the past two years, I have watched free TV on my computer.
I can watch almost any show that is broadcast on cable.
To search, first try the network the show is on. Many of them stream the show the day after it is on cable TV. If you can't locate it there, try Google.
No cable bill, minimum commercials. An hour show plays in just 37 minutes.
Posted by: samaritan | February 24, 2009 at 01:42 AM
Several things jump out here, the first being that the audience the networks & advertisers have most heavily targeted, & programmed to, are actually the least likely to be watching tv. It is the older viewers, who are generally dismissed & ignored, who actually watch the most tv & hence, the most likely to see, & potentially become regular viewers of, network tv programs.
Second, the argument that much of the viewing public, especially those in the desired younger age groups, are actually watching programs in many ways EXCEPT on tv itself, is exactly the argument those nutty fans of 'Jericho' made 2 yrs ago & were widely scorned for. And in the meantime, how many shows have been cancelled? 'Jericho', of course. 'Invasion'. 'The Nine'. 'Moonlight'. The list just goes on.
I think the 'Jericho' campaign, which continues btw, has shown fans have more than done their part to convince networks that times have changed & they need to change w/them. Now it's up to the advertisers to insist the networks change if they wish to continue to receive the ad dollars.
Posted by: txrus | February 24, 2009 at 06:27 AM
Anyone who says that all TV is junk just isn't watching. There is a long list of series that are superbly executed at every level--writing, acting, directing, production design, costumes, cinematography, etc. I'm not talking about reality shows (not my thing), and I'm not even getting into the rich and informative world of available documentary programming. I'm just talking fictional series. Whether it's serious drama, comedy or campy fun, there is an explosion of craft, creativity and even art evident on television from the networks to cable to premium. And that's why I too find myself watching more shows than ever before (I may even need a 12-step program soon). But I've got a pretty hectic schedule, so a fair amount of my series watching is online these days. I love being able to discover a show I've never seen, or not worry about missing a favorite because I have evening plans. As for the ads, while I've always been and remain disinclined to watch a movie cut up by ads in any format, there's not much difference for me between seeing ads online during a tv show, or on the tv itself. I'm puzzled by advertiser reluctance.
Posted by: S. Kahn | February 24, 2009 at 10:52 AM
I thought it was interesting that poeple are watching videos on their phones, i have never really been able to figure it out. BUT i watch video online all the time. My favoirte site is Ovguide.com because i can always find whatever movie or tv show i wanna watch for Free when i search on their site.
How is everyone finding the time to watch more and more video online and on their phones, and still keep watching the same amount of TV. Are people sleeping less or something??
Posted by: James Lector | February 24, 2009 at 04:10 PM