A recent study finds that home television viewing still commands the greatest amount of viewing, even among those ages 18-24. Younger baby boomers (age 45-54) consume the most video media, averaging the most daily screen time (just over 9 1/2 hours), with other age groups not trailing far behind at roughly 8 1/2 hours … although the type of devices used and duration varied.

Results of the $3.5 million year-long Video Consumer Mapping (VCM) study was conducted by Ball State on behalf of Nielsen-funded Council for Research Excellence (CRE), which claims it was the largest and most extensive observational study of media usage ever conducted.

Media use was observed in four categories of screens: traditional television (including live TV as well as DVD/VCR and DVR playback); computer (including Web use, email, instant messaging and stored or streaming video); mobile devices such as a Blackberry or iPhone (including Web use, text messaging and mobile video); and “all other screens” (including display screens in out-of-home environments, in-cinema movies and other messaging and even GPS navigation units).

Other findings:

• Computer video viewing averages just two minutes (a little more than 0.5 percent) a day.
• Computer use has replaced radio as the No. 2 media activity. Radio is now No. 3 and print media fourth.
• TV users are exposed to, on average, 72 minutes per day of TV ads and promos.
• DVR playback is even more likely than live TV to be the sole medium.
• “Environmental” exposure outside the home (just 2.8 percent of total video consumption today) could nearly double during the next few years.

“These new results are consistent with previous Nielsen studies that have found that video consumption has never been higher and that television continues to dominate the media landscape,” said Paul Donato, Nielsen’s Chief Research Officer.