Over 20 percent of subjects in a major survey told Nielsen Media Research that they have no access to the Internet. The findings come from a recent study Nielsen completed for the Federal Communications Commission, one of ten sponsored on behalf of the agency's media ownership proceeding.

20.3 percent of respondents told Nielsen that they never log in, either at home or at their job. Of those with access, 75.1 percent said they reach the Internet at home. 31 percent said they get entry to the Web and other Internet services at work. The average respondent spent about 12.8 hours a week on line, according to the report.

To complete the June 2007 survey, Nielsen Media researchers worked with a sample of 141,324 phone numbers belonging to individuals 18 years of age or older. Of those phone number owners, 3,101 agreed to be asked questions about their news and information getting habits.

Among the survey's findings:

The average, or mean, respondent in this survey said that they watch or listen to 10.4 hours of broadcast television a week. 8.4 percent said that they consume 29 hours or more TV a week.

On the other hand, many respondents said that they watch less television. In an average week 8.1 percent of the sample said that they consume just two to almost three hours of broadcast TV. 5.7 go for three to almost four hours. 5.6 for four to almost five. And 7.1 for five to almost six.

Over 77 percent of respondents said they watch local news and local current affairs on broadcast TV, followed by traffic and weather (64.2), international news (60), sports (47.4), opinion and commentary (42), emergencies (41.5), local cultural stories (38.1), and classified ads (17.9).

Cable and satellite

59 percent of the Nielsen subjects said that their household subscribes to a cable service. 30.5 percent said that their household subscribes to satellite.

The satellite/cable watchers have a higher average weekly TV consumption rate. Their average is 15.0 hours watched/listened to a week. They also have a different set of priorities from broadcast watchers: first, national and international news (62.4), then sports (54.5), weather and traffic (50.7), opinion and commentary (42.9), local news (41.7), local current events (24.3), and classified ads (17.0).

Internet use

20.3 percent of respondents told Nielsen that they have "no access to the Internet." The remaining respondents were asked which types of information they get from the Internet. 56.9 said they look for national and international news, followed by weather and traffic (49.6), local current affairs (40.6), sports (36.5), opinion or commentary (35.3), classified ads (33.9), and emergencies (24.4).

In contrast, the respondents, on average, only spent 2.7 hours a week reading daily local newspapers, 1.4 hours a week reading weekly local newspapers, and 0.7 percent of the week reading national newspapers like USA Today or The Wall Street Journal.

Those surveyed, on average, said that they spend about 6.2 hours a week listening to broadcast radio, 4.8 percent of those hours for news and information.

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