Nielsen reported Thursday that HDTVs are now viewed in 23.3 percent of all U.S. television households.
That’s up from just 10 percent of homes with HDTV in July 2007, when Nielsen began tracking HDTV status.
“The accelerated penetration of HDTV can be attributed to a number of factors, including the lower prices for high definition television equipment, the increased availability of high definition programming, and purchases of new television sets in anticipation of the digital transition set for February of 2009,” said Steve McGowan, Nielsen senior vice president for client research initiatives. “With nearly a quarter of homes equipped with high definition televisions, the demand for high definition content will only increase.”
Washington, D.C., has the top HDTV penetration among the top 18 markets in the country, with 31.1 percent, followed by Boston (30.5 percent) and New York (30.2 percent) Detroit has the lowest penetration among the top 18 markets, with 20.9 percent.
HDTV owners watch 54 percent more sports than non-HDTV owners, Nielsen found.
