TV Viewing Strong For New Season; 86 Million Americans Now Surf the Web at High-Speed

New York, NY – The average American home watched more television during the Sept. 20, 2004-Sept. 18, 2005 season than in any prior season—more than 8 hours each day, according to a new report release this week.  Plus, in related media, Nielsen/NetRatings found more than 60% of all internet users across the nation are now surf the web with high-speed, broadband connections.

According to Neilsen Media Research, the average U.S. home watched an average of 8 hours and 11 minutes per day in 2004-05. This increase is 2.7% longer than the prior season and more the 12.5% longer than a decade ago. These most recent figures are the highest ever record since Nielsen began measuring television viewing habits during the medium's "Golden Age" in the 1950s. The average individual, according to the study, watched over four and a half hours of television per day this past season, the most in 15 years.

Nielsen said that this general upward viewing trend appears to be carrying over into television's new 2005-06 season. That is, the primetime audience for the Sept. 19-Sept. 25, 2005 premiere week was considerably higher than the 2004 opener (Sept. 20-Sept. 26, 2004). Each night of this year's premiere week brought increases compared to last season. Sunday and Monday remained the week's most watched nights with 11.5 million and 11.6 million viewers, respectively.

In another trend among media consumers, Nielsen/NetRatings researchers found high-speed connectors now comprise 61.3% percent of Americans surfing the internet at home —up from 51 percent a year ago—and 42% of the total U.S. population.

The research firm reports that 86 million domestic internet users surfed via a home broadband connection in August, and that two out of every five Americans have broadband in their homes.  Narrowband users decreased by 10% since August 2004, down to 54.3 million users or 38.7 percent of all internet users.

In a first for a broadcast network, UPN offered the ratings-topping premiere of sitcom Everybody Hates Chris (cast above) for view in its entirety on Google Video. Nearly half the nation, 42% of Americans, now have the high-speed, broadband means required to watch such programming online at home.

"Broadband users spend more time and money online because their surfing experience is faster, more persistent, and ultimately, more satisfying," said Charles Buchwalter, Nielsen/NetRating's vice president of client analytics. "This is good news for consumers, publishers and advertisers alike.”

Carriers have responded to the demand for lower-cost broadband with falling prices.  Plus, more video and other content targeted for high-bandwidth are available on the net.

People are enjoying television show clips, movie trailers, music videos, and much more online.  CBS has long partnered with Real Networks to deliver 24-hour video streams from the Big Brother house online, blocking out coverage that would "spoil" the broadcast viewing experience of the its regular episodes.

In a first for a television network, however, UPN teamed up with Google to allow viewers who missed the ratings-topping premiere of sitcom Everybody Hates Chris to view the entire episode online at Google Video for four days, beginning Sept. 26.  A 21-minute episode such as this, of course, requires a high-speed, broadband connection to view.

This first-of-its-kind deal defies broadcast and cable networks tendencies not to authorize internet streaming of substantial amounts of original programs. The conventional fear is that online viewing will drive original broadcast viewing down, and consequently hurt advertising revenues.

Longtime underdog net UPN, on the other hand, appears to be betting that the attention surrounding the streaming deal for Everybody Hates Chris—whose opener beat both Fox serial The O.C. and NBC's Joey—will help garner more viewers down the line.

With broadband user numbers rising significantly—and the relationships evolving between traditional television, online and mobile viewing—who knows how much networks will loosen their content reins in the not-too-distant future?  Based on the record rise in TV viewing and broadband surfing this past year, seems we're all tuned in and watching to see.

- Juliana Bolden