African-Americans spend the most average daily time viewing overall and live TV, as well as DVD playback and video games, according to a new study from The Nielsen Company. Data from “State of the Media: March 2011” also indicates whites spend the most time viewing DVR playback.
Asians Least Likely to View Most TV-related Media
Asians spend the least amount of average daily time viewing most TV-related media. Asians average three hours and 14 minutes per day of overall TV viewing, compared to seven hours and 12 minutes for African-Americans. In terms of average daily live TV viewing, Asians average two hours and 34 minutes, compared to six hours and 16 minutes for African-Americans. Asians also average nine minutes of daily video games, compared to 16 minutes for African-Americans; and 12 minutes for DVD playback, compared to 18 minutes for African-Americans.
Figures differ for average time spent viewing DVR playback, however. Whites spend the most average time per day viewing this media (27 minutes), and Hispanics spend the least (14 minutes). It is also worth noting whites have the second-highest average daily viewing time for every other form of media covered by the study.
39% of African-Americans Watch Live Prime Time
Looking at the average viewing rate for prime time TV by ethnicity, African-Americans have the highest rate (38.9%), while Asians have the lowest (22.7%). The Asian rate is about one-third lower than the next-lowest rate, that of Hispanics (33.1%).
Whites, Asians Lead Prime Time DVR Playback
Whites have the highest average DVR playback viewing rate for prime time TV (5%), followed by Asians (3.1%), with Hispanics having the lowest (2.1%). Whites have the highest percentage lift (15.4%) in their total prime time viewing rate resulting from DVR playback.
Nielsen data shows that more than one-third (38%) of American homes had a DVR in November 2010. White homes had more than average (40%) and the highest usage while Hispanics had the fewest (30%).
NFL Football Transcends Race
Looking at overall ratings, seven of the top 10 broadcast TV shows in November 2010 were related to NFL football, as were five of the top 10 cable TV shows. Furthermore, broadcast airings of regular season games occupied all 10 spots for African-Americans and half of the top 10 for whites and Asians. Expanding the snapshot to cable, ESPN’s NFL Regular Season took the top spot for whites, African-Americans and Asians and second place with Hispanics. No other NFL-related program ranked in the top 10 broadcast or cable TV shows among Hispanics.
Boys Watch More than Girls, Women More than Men
Examining TV viewing gender trends in another recent study, Nielsen found that males age 2-17 watched slightly more monthly TV during Q4 2010 (110 hours and 12 minutes) on average than females in that demographic (109 hours and 33 minutes). However, females averaged close to nine minutes more per month on average than males in the 18-49 brackets, and about 18 minutes more in the 50-plus bracket, with viewing time rising with age for both genders.
