Many Homes Have Many Televisions

Mon., Aug. 26, 1996

New York Daily News

Americans may not necessarily be watching more TV, but they are watching more TVs. More than a third of the nation’s 95.9 million TV households have more than three television sets, according to a new survey by Statistical Research Inc.

The company reports that 35 percent of the TV homes are equipped with three or more TVs, which is up from 22 percent in 1986. In 1981, when Statistical Research started tracking multi-set use, only 17 percent of the homes had three or more TVs.

Moreover, 16 percent of the nation’s TV homes are sporting four or more, the survey found.

Meanwhile, 71 percent of the 95.9 million TV homes have more than one set. That’s up from 66 percent five years ago and well above the 54 percent of homes with more than one set in 1981.

The report indicates that 52 percent of households with teens had at least three sets. And 43 percent of homes with children report having more than one VCR. Only 24 percent of homes without children reported having more than one VCR.

The numbers are significant because they seem to support the broadcast networks’ argument that the growth of multiple-set homes severely limits the amount of viewing by families together.

The networks maintain that with more than one set in a home, kids are likely to watch one while parents watch another.

As a result, in recent years the networks have cut back on the number of “family” programs they aired.

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