Average number of TV channels receivable by US household drops in 2004

Nielsen notes that for the first time in television viewing research the number of channels received on average by US households has dropped. In 2003 an average US household would be capable of receiving 102.1 TV channels, and in 2004 the average fell to 100.4 channels. The researcher is investigating the possible causes for the slide, and notes that the number of the viewed channels remains fairly constant.

Average Number Of TV Channels Receivable
1985          18.8 
1990          33.2 
1995          41.1 
2000          74.6 
2001          89.2 
2002         102.1 
2003         100.4