HDTV Customers Are Happy With Picture Quality, Less Enthusiastic About Programming Options, Nielsen Finds

HDTV Customers Are Happy With Picture Quality, Less Enthusiastic About Programming Options, Nielsen Finds

Discovery HD Perceived Having Best Picture

NEW YORK, Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- High definition (HD) television owners are much more satisfied with the picture quality of HD television than they are with the amount or selection of HD programming, The Nielsen Company reported today.

According to Nielsen Media Research's 2007 High Definition Survey, 85 percent of HD owners gave a 4 or 5 rating (with 5 meaning "excellent" and 1 meaning "poor") for picture quality but only 39 percent provided the same rating for programming selection.

                                  Table 1                 How would you rate each of the following?    Response            Picture Quality HD Programming               Selection    5 -- EXCELLENT                  47.9%                                11.7%   4 -- ABOVE AVG.                 37.4%                                27.5%   3 -- AVERAGE                    10.3%                                37.6%   2 -- BELOW AVG.                  1.2%                                13.5%   1 -- POOR                        2.0%                                 7.6%   Don't Know                       1.0%                                 2.1%   

Women were slightly more positive about HD picture quality than men. There was no difference among cable vs. satellite subscribers. Respondents, in general, were less happy with the actual number of HD channels they receive, as fewer than 40 percent were somewhat or very satisfied with the amount or selection of HD programming. Women and older respondents - ages 50+ - were most positive, while those with an HD-DVR unit were least satisfied with the HD channel selection.

"Nielsen's High Definition Survey shows that HD technology is outpacing content, although a few networks do score high in consumer satisfaction," said Steve McGowan, Nielsen Senior Vice President Client Research Initiatives. "Television owners clearly feel that HD viewing is a more intense experience than standard television and there are early indications that the acquisition of an HD television can, initially at least, stimulate the type of television that is viewed."

Reported TV Viewership

Sports and movies are the categories most frequently watched in HD with only twelve percent of respondents indicating that they never watch movies in HD at home. Music and reality shows are the least frequently watched HD content (See Table 3). ESPN HD was the most popular sports channel, Discovery HD was the most watched channel for documentaries and HBO HD was the most watched channel for movies (See Table 3).

                                  Table 2        HD Owners who frequently watch the following on HDTV at home               Genre                                  Response               Sport                                     42.8%              Movies                                    38.0%              Scripted Dramas                           28.1%              Documentaries                             23.8%              Scripted Comedies                         19.4%              Reality Programming                       11.1%              Music                                      9.6%                                     Table 3              Most-Watched Networks for Various Program Types               Program Type               Most Watched Network               Sports                                  ESPN HD              Documentaries                      Discovery HD              Movies                                   HBO HD              Scripted Dramas                          CBS HD              Unscripted Reality                       Fox HD              Scripted Comedies                        CBS HD              Music                                    PBS HD    Other highlights of the study include:    --  There was no runaway winner in terms of which network provides the       "best picture," but among HD networks, Discovery HD Theater ranked       first (12.7%). CBS HD and NBC HD tied for second.    --  Nearly one-fifth (19.7%) of respondents reported that they watch more       TV since they got their HD set.    --  Consumers continue to embrace television as an entertainment platform       and many are investing in sophisticated home theater centers, with a       HD television as the centerpiece.  Nearly three-fourths of respondents       placed a       set in the family/living room (74%).    --  Far more than one-half (60%) of respondents get their HD signals from       a cable provider and nearly another one-third (31%) from a satellite       provider.  Only about six percent reported receiving HD signals via an       antenna or over the air. Comcast, DirecTV and Time Warner were the       three largest distributors reported among participants.    --  Over one-third of respondents report getting at least one premium pay       channel, led by HBO, Showtime and Starz!    Methodology  

Nielsen Media Research conducted a telephone survey with 511 respondents from June 28, 2007 until July 10, 2007 to learn how satisfied HD owners are with their TV set as well as the HD programming they receive. Respondents were previously identified through a telephone omnibus survey as HDset owners who also receive HD content.

About The Nielsen Company

The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions and recognized brands in marketing information (ACNielsen), media information (Nielsen Media Research), online intelligence (NetRatings and BuzzMetrics), trade shows and business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek). The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com.

FCMN Contact: brandi.preston@nielsenmedia.com

Source: The Nielsen Company

CONTACT: Gary Holmes, +1-646-654-8975

Web site: http://www.nielsen.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment