Luxury or Necessity?

Television: A Growing Need for Older Folks

Percent rating a TV set as a necessity

Younger adults (ages 18 to 29) were less likely than older adults (ages 50 and older) to consider a television set a necessity in both 1996 and today. This age difference is larger now. For those over age 50, somewhat more respondents now than in 1996 say the TV is a necessity.

Source: 1996 survey by Washington Post/Kaiser/Harvard; 2006 survey by Pew Research Center

Notes: Luxury and don’t know responses not shown.

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