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Thursday August 26, 1:29 pm ET
LOS ANGELES, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Nearly half of video game players watched less television last year or plan to cut their viewing time this year, according to a report issued on Thursday that lends credence to industry fears that young men are switching off the tube.
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The Ziff Davis Digital Gaming in America survey found that 26 percent of gamers had cut their TV watching over the last year, and a further 20 percent expect to do so this year.
Television ratings provider Nielsen Media ignited a storm of controversy among network executives last fall when it reported a 7.7 percent decline in prime-time viewing by men aged 18 to 34.
Nielsen cited growing competition from video games and DVDs. Studies have shown that the average game player is 29 years old.
The Ziff study, a random poll of 1,000 people nationwide, was conducted in May and June by the Strategy Group. It is published annually.
The research also found that game players are not just sitting in their living rooms. Half said they play games on their cell phones, for an average of 4.4 hours a week. They also spent an average of $19 in the last 60 days on phone games, the study found.
Some networks had suggested that Nielsen's sampling was flawed, and Nielsen said about half the decline could be explained by changes in the composition of its ratings sample and in the way it measured data .
Earlier this month, Nielsen said viewership in the first eight weeks of the summer season by men aged 18 to 34 was down only 3 percent for the four major networks.
LOS ANGELES, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Nearly half of video game players watched less television last year or plan to cut their viewing time this year, according to a report issued on Thursday that lends credence to industry fears that young men are switching off the tube.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Ziff Davis Digital Gaming in America survey found that 26 percent of gamers had cut their TV watching over the last year, and a further 20 percent expect to do so this year.
Television ratings provider Nielsen Media ignited a storm of controversy among network executives last fall when it reported a 7.7 percent decline in prime-time viewing by men aged 18 to 34.
Nielsen cited growing competition from video games and DVDs. Studies have shown that the average game player is 29 years old.
The Ziff study, a random poll of 1,000 people nationwide, was conducted in May and June by the Strategy Group. It is published annually.
The research also found that game players are not just sitting in their living rooms. Half said they play games on their cell phones, for an average of 4.4 hours a week. They also spent an average of $19 in the last 60 days on phone games, the study found.
Some networks had suggested that Nielsen's sampling was flawed, and Nielsen said about half the decline could be explained by changes in the composition of its ratings sample and in the way it measured data .
Earlier this month, Nielsen said viewership in the first eight weeks of the summer season by men aged 18 to 34 was down only 3 percent for the four major networks.
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