Nielsen reports that the total number of U.S. households with TV sets declined year to year for the first time since Nielsen started counting TV ownership. In addition, the number of households with no TV at all is at its highest level since 1975 — 3% of homes are TV-free.
Nielsen reports that 96.7% of American households now own sets, down from 98.9%. The decrease is the first in 20 years. There are two reasons for the decline, according to Nielsen. One is poverty, the other is technological innovation, with many young people watching on laptops and opting to forego set ownership.
