Apparently watching TV is about to be on the same level as playing Bingo.
As younger people turn to technology and the Internet to get their daily dose of shows, the average television viewer is getting older, according to new data from the independent research firm MoffettNathanson. Media analyst Michael Nathanson found that the average TV viewer in America during the 2013-2014 season had a median age of 44.4 years — a 6 percent increase from just four years ago.
When it comes to live television viewing, every age group except for people 55 and older are watching fewer TV shows during their actual scheduled time. A 2013 Pew Research Center study found a similar trend in television and news consumption. The main source of news for adults 50 and older was television, while 71 percent of young Americans said they get the majority of their news from the Internet.
The biggest networks seem to be losing younger viewers the fastest. The study found that the age of the average cable TV viewer has jumped 8 percent in the last four years. CBS has the oldest audience, with a median age of 58.7 years old. Fox’s broadcast audience is about 10 years younger than that, with a median age of 47.8 years old.
For some networks, this research is no shock. Fox News’ audience has had a median age of 65 and older for quite some time.