TV shows find young, affluent viewers on ‘net
U.S. television networks draw a younger, wealthier and better educated audience when they run their shows over the Internet, according to a new study released on Wednesday.
The study by Nielsen Analytics and Scarborough Research comes as networks have increasingly made hit TV shows — including ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” and NBC’s “Heroes” — available for viewing through computers.
Concerns that allowing consumers to view those popular programs and others over the Internet would cut into the number of people watching them on television are unfounded, the study found.
“Video on PCs and iPods actually is expanding the audience for broadcast and cable programs,” the study said, citing data that total TV usage was at an all-time high in U.S. households at 8 hours, 14 minutes a day during the 2005-2006 TV season.
