More Channels, So What?

American TV watchers have more options than ever for their viewing pleasure. Thing is, they’re not really watching any more of them.

Overall, the number of channels received by the average household hit a record high 118.6 in 2007, but the number actually viewed was only 16, just a fraction more than the 15.7 channels tuned to in 2006, the 15.4 channels tuned to in 2005 or the 15 channels tuned to in 2004.

It’s certainly an argument for a la carte programming, something the cable companies will never go for. But the wider implication for marketers is the reality that while we increasingly hear about media fragmentation and “all the places” a brand needs to be in order to have an “integrated” presence, consumer attention has its limits.


One could say that the lower percentage of channels watched is related to the shift to online entertainment options, but the number of folks going online for entertainment, though growing, is still rather small. Likewise, several studies show that the time spent watching TV hasn’t dropped, at least not in any significant way. So the opportunity to watch more is there. Evidently, the desire is not.