Americans Are Watching Almost 4 Fewer Hours of TV Every Day

[Bruce]

While not good for Cable/Satellite, more will start to wonder why they are paying such a high price for something they do not use much.

But this is not great for streaming either, which will result in less choices for content.

There are now more activities than ever to fill your time. From VR headsets to outdoor activities, these options don’t bode well for cable as Americans are watching less TV than ever before.

According to a report from Nielsen, the average American now spends 5 hours a day watching TV. That is down from 2010 when Americans averaged 8.9 hours per day.

Increasingly Americans are finding other things otto do as gaming, social media, and other activities account for a large part of this decline.

 

[Jimbo]

While not good for Cable/Satellite, more will start to wonder why they are paying such a high price for something they do not use much.

But this is not great for streaming either, which will result in less choices for content.

There are now more activities than ever to fill your time. From VR headsets to outdoor activities, these options don’t bode well for cable as Americans are watching less TV than ever before.

According to a report from Nielsen, the average American now spends 5 hours a day watching TV. That is down from 2010 when Americans averaged 8.9 hours per day.

Increasingly Americans are finding other things otto do as gaming, social media, and other activities account for a large part of this decline.

I bet it was WAY down back when I was growing up ...
We use to actually Go OUTSIDE and do things with friends most of the day.
We didn't waste the day away attached to a Game set, back then you actually had to Have a Game set on the TV, now days, your phone is the game set or other hand held devices.

 

[ncted]

Well, I certainly spend a lot less time watching commercials than I did before the advent of the DVR and commercial-free streaming, but I don't think my total viewing time has changed much since I became an adult -- probably 3 hours on average. Based on my family members, it seems like people spend hours and hours a day watching TikTok instead.

 

[Bruce]

Well, I certainly spend a lot less time watching commercials than I did before the advent of the DVR and commercial-free streaming, but I don't think my total viewing time has changed much since I became an adult -- probably 3 hours on average.

Since I retired in 2019, definitely up, even when I returned to employment in February, but work from home, it is always on.

But since I completed all the requirements on my contract early, I am basically retired again and can pay more attention to it.

But even right now, on the LifeCycle outside in the screened back porch, projector is on, news is playing, even watched the newest episode of Rick and Morty earlier while pedaling .

Based on my family members, it seems like people spend hours and hours a day watching TikTok instead.

My daughter the teacher, she even has a 85”TV at her home, that I gave her when I upgraded, all YouTube and TikTok on her phone or ipad, sometimes both.

She is 28, so raised on the internet, doubt she would even have a TV if I did not give her one.

 

[TRG]

I might watch more TV if if there was anything decent to watch. I used to be a huge sports fan but not anymore. I'm down to maybe 3 or 4 hours per week.

 

[meStevo]

Twitch and then Youtube / short form content surpassed TV (streamed or otherwise) in my house 5-6 years ago - including football Sundays in the TV column.

It's not even close.

 

[Bruce]

Twitch and then Youtube / short form content surpassed TV (streamed or otherwise) in my house 5-6 years ago - including football Sundays in the TV column.

It's not even close.

We were all in the same house during 2017-20 ( son all the time, daughter when on break from school) and part of 2021, as my kids were helping with my wife due to her illnesses, both before and after the move.

What I mostly noticed about both during that time, is our son, born in 90, will still watch TV for his entertainment, daughter, born in 95, all devices.

And today, he has all the streaming services like me, her, just as I already explained, believe she has Netflix (along with YT and TikTok), if she ever watches it.

 

[savarese04]

My daughter the teacher, she even has a 85”TV at her home, that I gave her when I upgraded, all YouTube and TikTok on her phone or ipad, sometimes both.

She is 28, so raised on the internet, doubt she would even have a TV if I did not give her one.

what's wild to me is the younger generation would rather watch movies on a laptop, ipad, tiny phone than on tv. i have been to people's houses where they have a 65" tv and it goes unused because they all watch movies on phones.

I get not wanting "tv" aka cable or live streaming, but the preference to watch netflix on a 5 in screen vs a 65" tv is head scratching

 

[MikeD-C05]

what's wild to me is the younger generation would rather watch movies on a laptop, ipad, tiny phone than on tv. i have been to people's houses where they have a 65" tv and it goes unused because they all watch movies on phones.

I get not wanting "tv" aka cable or live streaming, but the preference to watch netflix on a 5 in screen vs a 65" tv is head scratching

My 23 year old son did the same thing when he used to come home on leave from the Marines. He had a 50" HDTV sitting at the foot of his bed and he never turned it on. Instead he would watch on his phone or lap top. But now that he has moved home after getting out of the Marines, he has decided to use the 50" TV since it has a Fire stick on it and he can watch his apps. He also bought a Playstation 5 to play video games on.

 

[navychop]

Tell him to get back in the Marines, with or without his PS5!

 

[MikeD-C05]

Tell him to get back in the Marines, with or without his PS5!

He is out of the Marines after 4 years and attending college on the G.I.Bill and is living at home. He gets a monthly supplement of $1368.00 for housing supplement and they pay for everything else. I also don't charge him any rent . So he is getting paid to go to school. He is only going for an associate degree in Networking and should be done in 2 years. But by then he could go into what ever he wants. He also said he would never go back to the armed forces after giving them 4 years, but I told him you wanted it from age 17 and trained for it with the Marine recruiter for a year and I signed off because he wanted it and he said: I did it for the Government insurance and now the V.A. Hospital for medical. So I guess he was thinking about more than a PS 5.

 

[Comptech]

I have a C band dish at 12 feet, have a six foot Ku band primestar and OTA and streaming. Not much worth watching other than Me TV or stingray music, Tv just sucks now a days. I do like on patrol though, Problem is My house blocks 127 west, so I have to pay sling for it.

 

[Comptech]

While not good for Cable/Satellite, more will start to wonder why they are paying such a high price for something they do not use much.

But this is not great for streaming either, which will result in less choices for content.

There are now more activities than ever to fill your time. From VR headsets to outdoor activities, these options don’t bode well for cable as Americans are watching less TV than ever before.

According to a report from Nielsen, the average American now spends 5 hours a day watching TV. That is down from 2010 when Americans averaged 8.9 hours per day.

Increasingly Americans are finding other things otto do as gaming, social media, and other activities account for a large part of this decline.

Now if we get them wholesome tv and comedies from the 70's ans 80's they might watch and actually laugh.

 

[ncted]

I have a C band dish at 12 feet, have a six foot Ku band primestar and OTA and streaming. Not much worth watching other than Me TV or stingray music, Tv just sucks now a days. I do like on patrol though, Problem is My house blocks 127 west, so I have to pay sling for it.

I maintain a list of shows my wife and I want to watch that has about 50 entries on average. There is always more we want to watch than we have time for, and even with the strikes, that remains the case. I wouldn't say TV sucks now, but there are definitely things we miss -- particularly good sitcoms.