Information and Communications 

U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2011

home video. Persons 12 and older were the basis for the estimates for box office, broadcast TV, cable TV Internet, mobile, rad

recorded music and videogames]

Media 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

HOURS PER PERSON PER YEAR 1

 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3,445 3,473 3,500 3,515 3,545 3,545 

Television. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Broadcast Television. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Network—affiliated stations. . . . . . . . . . . . .  6

 Independent and public stations 2. . . . . . . .  96 9

 Cable networks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Basic cable networks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Premium cable networks 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Broadcast and satellite radio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Recorded music. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Newspapers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Pure-play internet services 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Out-of-home media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Consumer magazines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Consumer books. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Videogames. . . . . . . . . . . .

Home video 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  61

Box office. . . . . . . . . . .

Pure-play mobile services 3. . . . . . . . . .

In-flight entertainment 3. . . . . . . 

Educational books 5. . . . . . . 

CONSUMER SPENDING

PER PERSON PER YEAR (dol.)

 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  739.75 772.47 785.66 819.38 856.14 882.0

Television. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Cable and satellite TV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  234.23 256.3

 Broadcast Television. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Home video 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Consumer books. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Pure-play Internet services 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . .  60.39 60.31 5

Recorded music. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Newspapers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Consumer magazines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  46.

Box office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Videogames. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Pure-play mobile services 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4.54 7.5

Broadcast and satellite radio. . . . . . . . . . . . . .  0.39 1.

1

 Can include concurrent use of media, such as watching television and reading e-mail simultaneously. Does not include 

use at work. 2 Telemundo and Univsion affiliates included in independent and public stations. Pay-per-view, video-on-demand

interactive channels home shopping and audio-only feeds included in premium cable, satellite & RBOC TV services. 3 Online 

mobile use and spending on traditional media platforms, such as downloaded music, newspaper websites or info alerts, e-boo

cable modems, online video of television programs and Internet radio were included in the traditional media segment, not in p

play Internet services or pure-play mobile content. Pure-play Internet services and pure-play mobile content included telecom

munications access, such as DSL and dial up, but not cable modems, pure play content such as MobiTV, GameSpy, eHarmo

and mobile instant messaging and email alerts. 4 Playback of prerecorded DVD discs and VHS cassettes only. 5 Grades 9–12 

college only. Not included in consumer spending.

Source: Veronis Suhler Stevenson, New York, NY, Communications Industry Forecast, annual (copyright).