Broadband Continues To Drive Online Video Viewing

High definition television, DVRs, and the Internet are creating higher quality and better experiences for consumers, leading to an increase in the amount of videos Americans watch, according to a new Nielsen Three Screen Report.

"Consumers are driven by the convenience and quality that today's technology now enables," said Matt O'Grady, Executive Vice President, Audience Measurement, Nielsen.

"New mobile devices and enhanced TV quality allow viewers to engage in more content than ever before."

More than half of U.S. TV households now have HDTV, up 189 percent from the first quarter of 2008, and more than one-third have DVRs, up 51 percent. High-speed broadband access, now in 63.5 percent of homes, has created a better user experience for watching online videos and nearly a quarter of households have smartphones, allowing people to "place shift" and watch video anywhere.

 

Despite the common perception that viewers of videos on mobile phones are mostly teens, more than half (55%) are adults aged 25-49. While mobile online video viewing is still fairly limited, year over year growth is notable at 51.2%.

TV is still the most popular screen of choice: viewers watched 2 more hours of TV per month in the first quarter of 2010 compared to the same period a year prior (158:25 vs. 156:24).  They are also continuing to simultaneously use the Internet while watching TV, with the average time spent doing both activities up 9.8% to 3 hours and 41 minutes.

AS of the first quarter of 2010 the 292 million people in the U.S. with TV spend on average 158 hours, 25 minutes each month watching television. Also in the first quarter 138 million people watched video on the Internet spending on average 3 hours, 10 minutes.

When it comes to mobile video, 20.3 million watched mobile video in the U.S., spending on average 3 hours and 37 minutes each month.