As of May 2008, more than 65% of US homes receive digital cable and satellite combined. These digital TV homes receive nearly 160 channels. In addition, 25% and 35% of US homes have DVR and Video on Demand respectively. 220 mln Americans have Internet access at home and/or work and 73%, or 162 mln went online in May. Watching video on the Internet is no longer a novelty; 119 mln unique viewers viewed 7.5 bln video streams in May 2008. In addition as of Q1 2008, 91 mln Americans (36% of all mobile phone subscribers in the US) owned a video-capable phone, according to the Nielsen Company.

As of May 2008, more than 65% of US homes receive digital cable and satellite combined. These digital TV homes receive nearly 160 channels. In addition, 25% and 35% of US homes have DVR and Video on Demand respectively. 220 mln Americans have Internet access at home and/or work and 73%, or 162 mln went online in May. Watching video on the Internet is no longer a novelty; 119 mln unique viewers viewed 7.5 bln video streams in May 2008. In addition as of Q1 2008, 91 mln Americans (36% of all mobile phone subscribers in the US) owned a video-capable phone, according to the Nielsen Company.

TV users are watching more TV than ever before (127 hrs, 15 min per month), while also spending 9% more time using the Internet (26 hrs, 26 min per month) from 2007. At the same time, a small but growing number of Internet and mobile phone users are watching video online (2 hrs, 19 min per month), as well as using their cell phones to watch video (3 hrs, 15 min per month), The Nielsen Company reports.

24% of European households have given up fixed landlines for mobile phones, up from 22% in 2006. The Czech Republic, Finland and Lithuania had the lowest number of landlines in use. 22% are now using their PCs for phone calls or video chatting via programs such as Skype. That is a rise of 5% from 2006. In Lithuania, 61% of the households were using Internet phone services.

Worldwide mobile television subscriptions are expected to grow 5x to $19 bln by 2012 compared with $408 mln in 2007, Pricewaterhouse said. The United States is expected to make up $2.1 bln of that 2012 figure.

The Internet will overtake TV as the biggest advertising medium in UK in 2008, with over 19% of total ad spend, according to Enders Analysis. Online advertising expenditure will grow 26.4% in nominal terms to 3.56 bln pounds ($7 bln), overtaking TV ad spend, which will fall 2.5% to 3.39 bln pounds. Google would remain the biggest beneficiary of the growth in search advertising and predicted it would take 80% of UK spend on search advertising, up from 78% in 2007. Online classified advertising increased 54% in 2007 would slow in 2008 due to declines in recruitment and property listings.

Worldwide mobile television subscriptions are expected to grow 5x to $19 bln by 2012 compared with $408 mln in 2007, Pricewaterhouse said. The United States is expected to make up $2.1 bln of that 2012 figure.

65% of women 25-44 years say they will watch less television and 16.5% turn the TV off, according to Burst Media. 39.6% expect to use the internet more for entertainment purposes if their favorite TV shows are shown only in reruns. 25.6% of respondents say they will probably watch more online video as the strike continues to affect programming.

5.5 mln households brought home an HDTV set for the first time during the 2007/2008 holiday and Super Bowl season in 2008. 25% of US households or 28 mln now have at least one HDTV set, that up from a penetration of 20% in September 2007. Among those who purchased their HDTV set in the past year, 18% say they did so to connect it to a high definition video game console like Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. 24% of those who do not currently own an HDTV set feel it is important they will be able to watch the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in HD, another driver that could lead to higher than normal Q2 TV sales, a quarter typically known for its slow TV purchase activity.

HDTV will be seen in 44 mln homes around the world by the end of 2008, with HD homes rising to nearly 180 mln by 2012. According to Informa Telecoms & Media, about 4% of worldwide households will actively watch HD programming by the end of in 2008, up from 2% at the end of 2007.

The fastest growing territories are Russia and Romania, which are forecast to double their totals, according to Informa Telecoms & Media. More rapid growth is expected in India and Indonesia, which will both rise by about 70%. The global average for network television advertising per TV household is running at more than $100. The US will be highest at $380 in 2008 and the lowest China, only $10, and India, $11.

Potential voters spend more time watching Cable than Broadcast TV, according to BIGresearch. 45.8% of Republicans, 45.6% of Democrats, 57.6% of Libertarians and 46% of Independents say they spend more time watching cable stations than traditional broadcast networks. Conversely, 36.7% of Republicans, 34.2% of Democrats, 37.5% of Libertarians and 34% of Independents say they watch traditional broadcasts more. The remaining say they watch equal amounts of cable and network broadcasts: Republicans (17.6%), Democrats (20.2%), Libertarians (4.9%) and Independents (20%).

By 2012, Informa Telecoms & Media forecasts that global net TV advertising will equate to $148 bln, up 21% on the 2008 figure, according to Informa Telecoms & Media. The US still has considerable influence over the global market, bringing in $43.2 bln in 2007 - or 35% of the world’s total. Japan, the world’s second largest market but home to a sluggish economy, is more or less stagnant, with net TV advertising growing only 12% between 2007 and 2012.