HiDef TVs have reached well over half of all homes, but less than 20 percent actually watch HiDef programming, according to a study released this week by The Nielsen Company.
After years of being unable to gain much traction, HiDef television has become one of the most quickly adopted consumer entertainment technologies of the past 20 years, now reaching 56% of U.S. households.
But only 13% of total day viewing on cable and 19% of viewing on broadcast television is true HiDef, which requires an HiDef TV and HiDef tuner that are tuned to a HiDef channel. The other 80-plus% are still watching standard definition.
Among the reasons to account for this:
- 44% of homes are either not subscribed to a HiDef TV service or do not have a HiDef set.
- 20% of viewing on HiDef sets is programs being broadcast only in standard-def.
- Most homes of multiple TVs, at least one of which is standard-def.
About two-thirds of Asian households have HiDef, compared to about half of African-Americans. Whites and Hispanics are closer together near the overall average of 56%.
Sports programming is the most-watched in HiDef — 21% of HHs, 28% among 18-34-year-olds.
Children’s programming is the least-watched in HiDef, 2% overall.
Not surprisingly, young adults are the most likely to seek out HD programming.
— By Scott Hettrick
I’m in my 50’s & I watch nothing but HD programming as I have a 55″ 3D LED and everything that’s not in HD looks grainy, like it was recorded back in the 60’s.
Why even have non-HD channels anymore? It was a conversion that was mandated by the government and yet I have to pay extra for it! Maybe if everything was HD consumers wouldn’t be getting charged $10-20 more a mth plus the cost of a “HD” receiver! It’s a rip off.