Endless Cable Channels But No One is Watching

I have an extended cable package with no movie channels. I know that the local 24 hour weather channel is on channel 101. I think I get more channels higher than 101, but I don’t really know. Who really clicks on channel 225 to see if they get it?

Apparently, not many people. Americans are only watching, on average, about 15 channels. From a recent Nielsen study:

The number of television channels that the average U.S. home receives has now reached a record high of 104.2 TV channels. This and other television trends were released in a report from Nielsen that highlights population, television ownership and advertising trends in the United States.

In 2006, the average US home received 104.2 channels increase of almost eight channels since 2005 and a record level.

As the number of channels available to a household increases, so does the number of channels tuned. In 2006, the average household tuned to 15.7, or 15.1% of the 104.2 channels available for at least 10 minutes per week.

General dramas still dominate the broadcast networks program lineups, comprising 50% (67 of 134) of the primetime programs, an increase of four programs since last year.

47% of homes received 100+ channels.

Remember back in the simpler days, say, 1995? Average number of channels was 41. Average number watched was 10.

So, things haven’t changed all that much in terms of what people are watching, despite having more choice.

The question then becomes- when will someone with half a brain start offering cable plans that allow you to simply pick the channels you want (without getting everything)? If you only really watch the 15 channels consistenly, you can then purchase simply those channels you which to view.

But maybe Americans are too addicted to “choice.” We like having 100 channels to choose from even if we don’t ever watch 85+ of them.

Which leads us to wonder what will happen when companies like Apple expand to the television (as is proposed in an AppleTV format soon to come.) Years ago, Bill Gates believed the computer would soon be on the tv- but so far that hasn’t really happened.

Could there be such a thing as too much choice?