The blue glow lingers longer

If you ever wondered why people have less time to read magazines, it's because of a staggering long-term trend in watching television. Seems a commonplace observation, but we were struck by the following table, courtesy of the Center for Media Research, which shows U.S. household and individual television watching trends since 1950. The average household has the TV on more than 8 hours a day and the average individual watches more than 4.5 hours. (To put that in context, most people now sleep less than 7 hours a night.)

HISTORICAL DAILY TV VIEWING (U.S.)
Year	Homes	Persons 2+
(Sept-Sept)	Avg. Hrs:Mins per day
2004 - 2005	8:11*	4:32*
2003 - 2004	8:01	4:25
2002 - 2003	7.55	4.25
2001 - 2002	7.42	4.18
2000 - 2001	7.39	4.15
1999 - 2000	7.31	4.06
1998 - 1999	7.24	4.00
1997 - 1998	7.15	3.58
1996 - 1997	7.12	3.56
1995 - 1996	7.15	3.59
1994 - 1995	7.15	4.02
1993 - 1994	7.16	4.03
1992 - 1993	7.12	4.06
1991 - 1992	7.05	4.06
1990 - 1991	6:56	N/A
1989 - 1990	6:55	N/A
1988 - 1989	7:02	N/A
1987 - 1988	6:59	N/A
1986 - 1987	7:05	N/A
1985 - 1986	7:10	N/A
1984 - 1985	7:07	N/A
1983 - 1984	7:08	N/A
1982 - 1983	6:55	N/A
1981 - 1982	6:48	N/A
1980 - 1981	6:45	N/A
1979 - 1980	6:36	N/A
1978 - 1979	6:28	N/A
1977 - 1978	6:17	N/A
1976 - 1977	6:10	N/A
1975 - 1976	6:18	N/A
1974 - 1975	6:07	N/A
1973 - 1974	6:14	N/A
1972 - 1973	6:15	N/A
1971 - 1972	6:12	N/A
1970 - 1971	6:02	N/A
1969 - 1970	5:56	N/A
1968 - 1969	5:50	N/A
1967 - 1968	5:46	N/A
1966 - 1967	5:42	N/A
1965 - 1966	5:32	N/A
1964 - 1965	5:29	N/A
1963 - 1964	5:25	N/A
1962 - 1963	5:11	N/A
1961 - 1962	5:06	N/A
1960 - 1961	5:07	N/A
1959 - 1960	5:06	N/A
1958 - 1959	5:02	N/A
1957 - 1958	5:05	N/A
1956 - 1957	5:09	N/A
1955 - 1956	5:01	N/A
1954 - 1955	4:51	N/A
1953 - 1954	4:46	N/A
1952 - 1953	4:40	N/A
1951 - 1952	4:49	N/A
1950 - 1951	4:43	N/A
1949 - 1950	4:35	N/A
Source: Nielsen Media Research
N/A - Not Available
*through 9/18/05