Nielsen Raises Universe of U.S. TV Homes to 119.9M

By Jon Lafayette
( Broadcasting & Cable )
published

Nielsen has raised its national Television Household Universe Estimate to 119.9 million TV homes for the 2018-19 season from 119.6 last season.

Nielsen increased its estimate of the number of people age 2 and older—people 2+—by 0.3% to 305.4 million people. The increase reflects growth in Hispanic, black and Asian TV households, the measurement company said.

The numbers are the basis for Nielsen’s TV ratings, which are used to measure the popularity of TV programming and set advertising rates.

Related: Out-of-Home Viewing Boosts Comedy, Competition Shows

The percentage of total U.S. homes with televisions receiving traditional TV signals via broadcast, cable, DBS or Telco, or via a broadband internet connection connected to a TV set is currently at 95.9%.

Nielsen said it uses U.S. Census Bureau data, combined with information from its national TV panel, to arrive at Advance TV Universe Estimates in early May. It then distributes final Universe Estimates before the start of each TV season.

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.