View Poll Results: How much time do you watch TV daily?
1 hour or less
8
14.81%
1-2 hours
5
9.26%
2-3 hours
9
16.67%
3-4 hours
8
14.81%
4-5 hours
3
5.56%
More than 5 hours daily!
21
38.89%
Voters: 54. You may not vote on this poll
How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
12-26-09, 09:09 AM
#1
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Thread Starter
How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
The average American spent “four hours and 49 minutes a day on average in front of the TV” during the most recent TV season, The Nielsen Company said Tuesday. A few minutes shy of the five-hour mark, the 2008-9 season average is the highest ever, according to Nielsen, up four minutes from the previous year. Compared with 10 years ago, viewing is up 20 percent.
And how long are the TV sets turned on in households? For eight hours and 21 minutes a day, says Nielsen, which measures seasons from September to September.
Nielsen posits that several sources are responsible for the gradual rise in television viewing. Households have more TV sets and viewers “have more channels and content to choose from,” the company says in a blog post.
People spend roughly one-fifth as much time using the Internet as watching TV, according to Nielsen’s quarterly three-screen reports. “People may be spending time watching video online, downloading torrents, playing video games, and whatever else, but they’re continuing to watch more TV on average as well,” TV By The Numbers says.
And how long are the TV sets turned on in households? For eight hours and 21 minutes a day, says Nielsen, which measures seasons from September to September.
Nielsen posits that several sources are responsible for the gradual rise in television viewing. Households have more TV sets and viewers “have more channels and content to choose from,” the company says in a blog post.
People spend roughly one-fifth as much time using the Internet as watching TV, according to Nielsen’s quarterly three-screen reports. “People may be spending time watching video online, downloading torrents, playing video games, and whatever else, but they’re continuing to watch more TV on average as well,” TV By The Numbers says.
According to this report, this is "per person age 2+," not "per household" (which is the upper line). Individuals spend nearly 5 hours on average (meaning some spend more!) watching TV each day? And leave their TV's on more than 8 hours? Jeepers. We are a nation of couch potatoes. :P
How about you?
Last edited by JuryDuty; 12-26-09 at 09:13 AM.
12-26-09, 09:27 AM
#2
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Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
Define "watch"? When I'm online but I have MSNBC or Discovery Channel on in the background, does that count? What about when I'm watching DVDs?
If those count, then I watch five or six hours a day. If not, maybe three hours a week.
If those count, then I watch five or six hours a day. If not, maybe three hours a week.
12-26-09, 09:38 AM
#3
DVD Talk Limited Edition
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Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
12-26-09, 10:37 AM
#4
DVD Talk Hero
Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
The Nielsens wouldn't count DVD watching in their stats. It's all about viewing TV content (and presumably the commercials).
12-26-09, 01:23 PM
#6
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2-3 hours, but without commercials that's 3-4 "hours" of programming
you have to remember there are a lot of slobs on welfare that sit in front of the tv 16 hours a day that skew the averages
you have to remember there are a lot of slobs on welfare that sit in front of the tv 16 hours a day that skew the averages
12-26-09, 02:03 PM
#7
Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
Far less than an hour. I only turn it on through the week to watch a few regular series: The Office and LOST (when it's on). Other than that, I'll use OnDemand from time to time or see what's on a premium movie channel, but that's only once or twice a week.
12-26-09, 02:05 PM
#8
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
Actually watch Tv maybe 20-25 minutes a week. I dont watch shows when they are on tv I just buy the dvds and watch them. and all the news I need(the weather) is on the internet anyways. so tv isn't really worth while to me
12-26-09, 02:15 PM
#9
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
live TV: virtually none
skipping thru commercials TV: ~ 60 minutes a day (lots of sports, start viewing at halftime)
DVDs: ~ 4 hours a day
skipping thru commercials TV: ~ 60 minutes a day (lots of sports, start viewing at halftime)
DVDs: ~ 4 hours a day
Last edited by Trevor; 12-26-09 at 04:09 PM.
12-26-09, 04:36 PM
#11
DVD Talk Legend
Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
My TV is on 12 hours a day during football season on weekends. During the week it varies but picked 5+ hours since I watch a lot of sports.
12-26-09, 04:48 PM
#12
Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
Watching pre-recorded tapes or DVDS is different from "watching television." I watch films, TV shows, music videos, and concerts from other countries, very little of which ever gets shown on American television, cable or otherwise. Nielsen couldn't care less what I watch.
12-26-09, 04:56 PM
#13
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Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
That's basically the way it is for me from September into late March (college hoops). Probably closer to 16 hours/day on Sat/Sun.
12-26-09, 09:56 PM
#14
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Thread Starter
Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
Watching pre-recorded tapes or DVDS is different from "watching television." I watch films, TV shows, music videos, and concerts from other countries, very little of which ever gets shown on American television, cable or otherwise. Nielsen couldn't care less what I watch.
12-26-09, 10:37 PM
#15
DVD Talk Legend
Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
I have the TV on a lot, usually CNN during the day but I am not actively watching it. I just hate having it quiet all day.
I'd say I probably actively watch 3-5 "hours" of shows a day, although without commercials on the dvr so that is about 42 minutes per hour-long show.
I'd say I probably actively watch 3-5 "hours" of shows a day, although without commercials on the dvr so that is about 42 minutes per hour-long show.
12-27-09, 01:35 AM
#16
DVD Talk God
Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
Scripted programming I watch anywhere from 84 minutes (2 shows) to 126 minutes (3 shows) on the DVR per day/night during a work week. Off days might be a little more.
12-27-09, 10:32 AM
#17
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
I'd say that's a pretty good estimate. I'll listen to the news in the background when I'm online. Add to that a couple hockey games a night, I'd easily hit 5 hours.
12-27-09, 09:11 PM
#20
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Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
I tend to watch 1-3 episodes of shows on DVD a day (currently I'm cruising through the Farscape Collection).
Almost all other TV is by appointment DVR. If all my shows are new that might be 10 hours a week. Plus Rachel Maddow which I catch on Itunes. Vary rarely I might channel surf later at night and end up on Craig Ferguson or The Soup- maybe a half hour on average a week.
Averaging all that it comes to about 3.7 hours a day. If the DVD and/or podcast don't count, then less.
Almost all other TV is by appointment DVR. If all my shows are new that might be 10 hours a week. Plus Rachel Maddow which I catch on Itunes. Vary rarely I might channel surf later at night and end up on Craig Ferguson or The Soup- maybe a half hour on average a week.
Averaging all that it comes to about 3.7 hours a day. If the DVD and/or podcast don't count, then less.
01-03-10, 03:24 PM
#22
Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
live tv: 1.5 hours -- Jeopardy and Star Trek TNG at midnight on WGN (I sold my DVDs some time ago and haven't rebought them yet. I do end up watching 3-4 minutes of other shows on tape during the commercial breaks)
Taped TV: 2-6 hours -- depending on the night (Mon, Wed and Thursday being the worst and getting worse w/ all the cable shows premiering this month)
DVDs: 4-10 hours a WEEK. At this rate, it will take me around 125 years to watch everything I've bought --- so far.
01-03-10, 06:07 PM
#23
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Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
I used to watch a shitload of TV. Don't really anymore. I just watch DVDs and Blu-rays.
01-03-10, 06:21 PM
#24
DVD Talk Hero
Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
As stated, that survey includes everything on a TV, from broadcast tv, to dvds, blu-rays, video games, etc.; all of that taken into account, it's not a very surprising number.
01-03-10, 06:35 PM
#25
DVD Talk Legend
Re: How much time do you watch TV daily? Neilson says 289 minutes (5 hours!).
Since it includes everything that involves my television to be powered on, I probably watch a couple of hours a day. Weekends might bump that up to 5 hours, and about once a month the ol' lady and I don't do anything on a Saturday but watch movies, so that will jump it up quite a bit.
If it only included OTA or cable/satellite watching, my number would be at zero. I haven't watched anything like that on my home television in several months.
If it only included OTA or cable/satellite watching, my number would be at zero. I haven't watched anything like that on my home television in several months.