Nielsen: 118.4 Million U.S. Homes Have TVs

Total number of people in TV homes increased 1.6 percent

Author:: Michael Balderston
Publish date:: Aug 30, 2016
Updated on: Feb 23, 2018

NEW YORK—All across America there are 118.4 million homes that have a television as we head into the 2016-2017 TV season, according to Nielsen’s recent National Television Household Universe Estimates.

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In addition, the estimates found that the people ages two and up in those houses totals an estimated 301.7 million; this represents a 1.6 percent increase from the report from Nielsen last year. Increases in U.S. Hispanic, black and Asian households were also noted and contributed to estimated population growths and TV penetration.

The total percentage of U.S. Homes receiving traditional TV signals through broadcast, cable, DBS or Telco, or having a broadband internet connection currently sits at 96 percent, according to Nielsen, an increase of 0.8 percent.

Nielsen collects the data by using the U.S. Census Bureau combined with information from the national TV panel.

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As part of its efforts to implement universal electronic television measurement in all 210 Local TV markets, Nielsen has announced that it will be installing nearly 15,000 TV audience meters in approximately 7,000 homes across 140 markets.

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Data shows that more than 5 million homes have gone to some form of OTA since 2011.

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More people are dropping the number of TVs they have in their house, with more than ever saying they don’t need one at all according to the “Residential Energy Consumption Survey” from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

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Hearst Television’s 30 stations and majority of digital sub-channels will continue to get its numbers from Nielsen, as the two companies have announced a new multiyear deal.

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It’s the beginning of the end of the paper era at Nielsen, as it announced that by mid-2017 it will provide all electronic measurement for its local television ratings across all of its 210 designated market areas.

The universe of U.S. television homes is growing—and so is the TV audience.

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Fox Sports is taking Nielsen out-of-home numbers. The TV metrics institution said the net is the latest subscriber to its National Out-of-Home Reporting Service.

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Nielsen and Univision Communications Inc. have announced a deal that will provide Nielsen’s national and local digital in TV ratings services to Univision and UniMás networks, as well as local affiliate stations.