October 31st, 2009
Men watch more high-def than women--and other things about HDTV you probably already know
There was a time not too long ago when a lot of people bought an HDTV, brought it home, and started watched TV, all the while thinking they were watching in HD when they hadn’t bothered to upgrade their cable or satellite package to make high-def programming available. Now viewers have become savvier, according to a new study by the Knowledge Network, which finds that 43 percent of high-definition viewers watch HD programming every day. That’s up from 26 percent two years—a 65-percent increase.
Viewing of various types of shows in high-def has also increased, though not spectacularly. HD dramas are now watched by 43 percent of respondents (up from 32 percent), and sitcom HD viewership has jumped to 47 percent from 38 percent. The biggest move comes with how-to shows, which are now watched in HD by 26 percent of respondents compared to just 12 percent in 2007; this may be due to the increasing number of cable channels broadcast in high-def, as they have increased in number in the past couple of years. Curiously, findings about HD viewership of sports isn’t included in the company’s press release.
The study also confirms what you probably can surmise on your own anecdotally—men are much more interested in HD than women. While 48 percent of men check HD channels first when they switch on the set, only 19 percent of females do. Similarly, more males choose to watch an HD version of a show instead of the SD version than women do (58 percent versus 41 percent). These findings definitely play out in this household—how about yours?
Sean Portnoy spent several years as an editor at Computer Shopper magazine, most recently serving as online executive editor. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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