Study: Media Everywhere, Bathroom Included

TV viewers increasingly are watching programs on their own schedule, according to a Nielsen company media study.

In the past year, time-shifting of television content grew by almost two hours, averaging 13 hours per month, the study found. Viewers averaged nearly 134 hours of live TV viewing a month in 2013, down nearly three hours from 2012. Television still remains central to media consumption, the study found, despite the increase in time-shifted viewing and streaming video through a computer or smartphone. On average, American consumers own four digital devices, the report found. The majority of US households own high-definition TV sets, Internet-connected computers and smartphones, while nearly half also own digital video recorders and gaming consoles. The average consumer spends about 60 hours a week viewing content across various platforms, Nielsen found. Multitasking is common; 84 percent of smartphone and tablet owners say they use their devices as second screens while watching TV.