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MNUtneenel News—)nevary 4S, wain
<br />Study: WAN
<br />By JaannlM AwrM
<br />WASHINGTDN—The math-,
<br />of U.S. household, ton: vg into
<br />CSPAN increased 43 percent
<br />since November 1984, according
<br />to the bedecablenetwork. which
<br />telecasts the adivitiee of the U.S.
<br />House of Representatives m
<br />well a, other public affair,
<br />programming.
<br />A comprehensive viewership
<br />study commissioned by CSPAN
<br />showed that the number of U.S.
<br />household, watching the .-
<br />profit able network increased w
<br />10.9 million aeof November 1987
<br />from 7.6 million households
<br />reported viewing the "his chen-
<br />nel for the same period thre,-
<br />veare earlier.
<br />The moat recent nationwide
<br />survey woo conducted by the
<br />Unlvemityof Maryland Research
<br />Center. The center mid the 10.9
<br />million households watching
<br />CSPAN tnndales into roughly
<br />27.3 million individual viewem.
<br />The survey was conducted by
<br />telephone and was based on a
<br />random sampling of 3,944 inter-
<br />views.
<br />VieweMip Up 43% Since November 84
<br />The 1984 national survey was
<br />conducted by Washington' UC-
<br />based Media Analysis Pmjert.
<br />C-SPAN research director
<br />Maus Chntey mid the release
<br />oI the viewership study will be
<br />followed Later this year by two
<br />other "force based on the same
<br />national sample m the viewership
<br />report. The forthcoming studies
<br />will look at the demnotphim and
<br />Political behavior of CSPAN
<br />viewer, Ms. Clammy mid.
<br />Actonlingtothe study, 25 per-
<br />Ce tofallcabletelevisionborne
<br />hold. watch CSPAN. Brien
<br />Iamb. CSPAN chief executive
<br />officer, commented, "We arc
<br />Pleased to ser that more people
<br />are finding CSPAN and using it
<br />as the information rmurm the
<br />able industry intends it to he."
<br />CSPAN mid that although
<br />the channel is available in fewer
<br />than 40 percent of all television
<br />households, its audience site is
<br />"compelf ive" with that of other
<br />public ff.im programs such .e
<br />Public Broadcasting Services
<br />M1fetNei/-(.shier Ner•x !lour,
<br />NBC'. Fate the Nation, CBS'
<br />Meet the Bess and ABC's Thit
<br />Week with David Brinkley.
<br />The study oleo unearthed
<br />ArtiNtin ahwrt the viewing habits
<br />of those who tune into CSPAN.
<br />The average CSPAN viewer
<br />watches an average of 9.5 hours
<br />a month, bu. ,pprosintately 12
<br />Percent of the CSPAN audience
<br />lures in to the network 20 or
<br />more boon a month, the study
<br />reported.
<br />In addition, 28 percent of
<br />CSPAN', viewers watch four
<br />hours or more a month of con-
<br />gesmional Boor debaln, and 69
<br />Percent of C-SPAN's viewers
<br />watch fourhoun or mo cof ron-
<br />gonsional committee hearings
<br />each month, the survey found.
<br />Approximately 64 percent if
<br />C-SPAN viewers watch both
<br />CSPAN and CSPAN D. which
<br />uhnasts the U.S. Senate's activi.
<br />ties and other public aff":rs pro-
<br />gramming. IVst week marked
<br />CSPAN 11'. fuse year al full-
<br />time coverage.! The survey note I
<br />that CSPAN If viewer, on
<br />average watch that rhamw; h..i
<br />hours a month.
<br />The survey also took a Zook at
<br />the viewership of last years top
<br />news events —the Iron-Conra
<br />hearings and the confirmation
<br />haring. of U.S. Supreme Court
<br />romimr Robert Bork. 1. addi-
<br />tion to its live cov,mge of the
<br />hearings. "PAN tekv.aeled the
<br />daily hearings in thew entirety
<br />during prime time.
<br />CSPAN viewers watched the
<br />Iran -Contra hearing, for an
<br />avenge of 12 houmaml the Bork
<br />hearings for an average 6.9
<br />hour, the Rover found. Appmx-
<br />fmately 72 percent of C SPAN
<br />viewerswatched nverageOfboth
<br />while 93 percent watelied cover.
<br />age of one car the mher. l 1
<br />Jerrold Working To Develop
<br />Super VHS Cable Transmissions
<br />•P KaNY ClaYtutr
<br />HATBORO, PA —The Jerrold
<br />Divhfon of General Instrument
<br />Corp mid it is developing a tech-
<br />nology that will enable cable sye-
<br />lems m tmnemil Sup,rVHS tele-
<br />vision signal. m cable subecrib-
<br />em. Company official. mid the
<br />technology, which wodd require
<br />converter sddroua for participat-
<br />ing subscribers. is
<br />three to eat
<br />months away from being "red in
<br />the field.
<br />"We're pumuing with great in-
<br />terest and haste' Super VHS
<br />tomemisafon ovtr cable mid Hal
<br />Kriabegh, vice president and
<br />gernme manager of Jenold'eSub-
<br />uuiberSyetems Division, Ile mid
<br />Jerrold began its research and de-
<br />wlopment of Super VHS tans
<br />mimione when the technology
<br />was roads I vsilable for the home
<br />videocassette marketplam
<br />Research toward providing
<br />Super VHS able signals also is
<br />being conducted independently
<br />by the Nations] Cable Television
<br />Association.
<br />The National Television Sys-
<br />tem. Committee standard, cur-
<br />rently used for North American
<br />TV signal., yields a picture with
<br />up to 330 horizontal lines of
<br />resolution; Super VHS tech-
<br />nology yield, 400420 lines and
<br />requires a Super VHS monitor.
<br />E.lendeddeMition TV yield.
<br />up to SM lines, while true high.
<br />defmition TV, such m the MUSE
<br />system developed by Japanese
<br />Broadcasting Co. INIIK 1, yields
<br />about 800 line. of Lao hental
<br />resolution.
<br />Mr. Kriabergh mid the advent
<br />of Super VHS gave home video
<br />an advantage over the cable I.
<br />dustry. But be noted that it is un-
<br />clear how much consumes will
<br />be willing to pay for the technol-
<br />ogy s improved picture quality.
<br />Tony Aakstikalnis, vice presi.
<br />dent of engineering for the Sub-
<br />scriber System. Division and h
<br />charge of the Super VHS project,
<br />mid Jerold officials decided to
<br />dewlopthetechrologytogivethe
<br />able industry ajump on the seer
<br />ket. Mr. Kriebergh mid, "We can
<br />deliver... a qualityproduct and
<br />do it in a relatively short time
<br />frarn.ix months m a year ...
<br />and we can do it h4tne Super
<br />VHS impregnates the market:'
<br />Mr. Krisbegh and Mr. Auk-
<br />st&ahris both admitted that Snper
<br />VHS isn't going to take oil like
<br />wildfire immediately because
<br />consumer. most own a Super
<br />VHS monitor in seder m receive
<br />the bnpmved signal. "It wont h•
<br />a hugeexplosion;'Mr. Krisough
<br />mid.
<br />0. the other hard, the execor.
<br />tiva mid, the industry "can lon,
<br />empt Super VHS end giveus the
<br />opportunity wjonp into the mar,
<br />ket for high -quality TV;' Mr.
<br />Kriebergh mid." It will give cable
<br />the opportunity to offer high
<br />quality, albeit not high defini.
<br />tion."
<br />pier!,, "d nilreJ, u/
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