Nielsen Study Shows African Americans Have Highest Television Usage

African Americans watch 40 percent more television than the national average, according to the Nielsen study, “State of the Media.”

The report, released on Wednesday, stated the U.S. daily average for television viewing is five hours and 11 minutes. Asians watch an average of three hours and 14 minutes on the low end, and African Americans watch television on average an astronomical seven hours and 12 minutes a day—almost a full work day.

Though the Nielsen study shows that teenagers watch television the least, the statistic doesn’t account for the dramatic increase in media patronage through websites like Hulu and YouTube, which is by far highest amongst teens.

Asian Americans watch the least amount of television and have better academic performances and higher incomes than any other minority, according to a study done entitled, "No Excuses: Closing the Racial Gap in Learning," by A. Thernstrom.

Additionally, in data presented by the website "Teen Health and the Media," the heaviest television watching occurs in the lowest income households.

Eighty-five percent of African-American children cannot read or do math at grade level, according to a study done by Hart Research Associates for the Children's Defense Fund. All these findings are related to excessive television usage.

President Barack Obama told journalists in 2009 that these findings are at the root of the African American community’s overarching economic disparities:

"If we close the achievement gap, then a big chunk of economic inequality in this society is diminished," said the President.