Leichtman: HD Presence, Awareness Growing

[Gregg Lengling]

A study released this week from Leichtman Research Group found that the percentage of households with a HD-capable TV set nearly doubled in the past year, with 7 percent of households in the United States having high-def at the end of third quarter.

Adoption of HDTV sets continues to be spurred by higher-income consumers, Leichtman said. The mean household income of HDTV owners remains higher than average, at $80,000 per year, but has fallen from last year when the mean income of HDTV owners was more than $95,000 per year, stated the company's research.

And while 86 percent of adults have heard of HDTV, consumers in general still have limited knowledge of high-def. The most important misunderstanding about HDTV, however, may be among those who have already purchased an HDTV set.

The majority of consumers in households with HDTV sets are not actually watching HD programming but think they are, the company said. While 65 percent of HDTV owners report they are receiving HD programming from a cable or satellite TV company, industry analysis revealed that the true figure is about half of that total.

The research findings are based on a survey of 1,300 U.S. households, and are part of a new Leichtman study, HDTV: Awareness, Interest and Intent to Purchase 2004. This is the company's second annual study on the topic.

For more on Leichtman, visit: http://www.leichtmanresearch.com.