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Television

Children’s participation in watching television or videos by age, 2000, 2003 and 2006

2006 | 2003 | 2000

A 2006 ABS survey showed that gender, age, birthplace and place of usual residence made no significant difference to the proportion of children who had watched television or videos in the two weeks before being interviewed. However, there were significant differences across the age groups in the amount of time spent on this activity, with the highest viewing levels among the older children: 53 per cent of those aged 12 to 14 years had watched at least 20 hours of television or videos, compared with 45 per cent of children aged 9 to 11 years and 38 per cent of those aged 5 to 8.

When comparing the 2006 findings of all children under 14 years of age to those in the two previous surveys, there is a relatively significant decrease in the proportion of children watching 20 hours or more, combined with a rise in the other threes categories (most notably those watching 10–19 hours).

2006: Percentage of children watching TV or video over two-week period1

Graph: Proportion of hours of TV watched by children over a two-week period by age group, 2006. The table following provides the data.
  5–8 years 9–11 years 12–14 years All children 14 and under
Time spent over two-week period1
2 hours or less 3.3% 2.5% 1.7% 2.6%
3–4 hours 5.7% 4.5% 4.7% 5.0%
5–9 hours 14.1% 11.9% 9.8% 12.1%
10–19 hours 38.6% 34.5% 30.6% 35.2%
20 hours or more 38.3% 45.6% 53.2% 45.1%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Children's Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities (cat. no. 4901.0).

Notes:
1. During the most recent two school weeks prior to interview in April 2006.

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2003: Percentage of children watching TV or video over two-week period1

  5–8 years 9–11 years 12–14 years All children 14 and under
Time spent over two-week period1
2 hours or less 3% 2% 1% 2%
3–4 hours 5% 3% 3% 4%
5–9 hours 13% 11% 8% 11%
10–19 hours 35% 31% 27% 31%
20 hours or more 44% 54% 60% 52%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Children's Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities (cat. no. 4901.0).

Notes:
1. During the most recent two school weeks prior to interview in April 2003.

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2000

  5–8 years 9–11 years 12–14 years All children 14 and under
Time spent over two week period1
2 hours or less 4% 3% 2% 3%
3–4 hours 5% 4% 4% 4%
5–9 hours 12% 10% 9% 10%
10–19 hours 34% 30% 26% 30%
20 hours or more 45% 53% 59% 52%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Children's Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities (cat. no. 4901.0).

Notes:
1. During the most recent two school weeks prior to interview in April 2000.

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