Nielsen disagrees with a Kaiser Family Foundation study that
concluded that live TV viewing by 8-to18 year-olds had declined by almost a
half-hour in the past five years.
"Our data which are based on observed behavior measured
by digital meters, show that TV viewing for this group is actually up, not down
as Kaiser found," said Nielsen spokesman Gary Holmes.
In unveiling the study to, among others, FCC Chairman Julius
Genachowski, Kaiser said that live viewing had decreased from three hours, four
minutes in 2004 to two hours, 39 minutes in 2009 (down 25 minutes).
According to Holmes, the ratings company's data for that
same age group and five-year period, based on digital meters rather than the
diaries it says Kaiser based its numbers on, shows an increase from three
hours, seven minutes to three hours and 14 minutes (up seven minutes).
Vicky Rideout, director of Kaiser's Program for the Study of
Media and Health, responded: "It does seem to be the case that we show a
little more time shifted TV and a little less live TV viewing than Nielsen
does."
