Consumer Entertainment Spending Won't Fall

(originally authored by Mark Hefflinger, Digial Media Wire)

Consumer Entertainment Spending Won't Fall in '09 

April 15, 2009
Port Washington, N.Y. - Most Americans plans to spend the same amount or more on entertainment in 2009 as they did in 2008, according to a survey conducted by market research firm NPD Group.

Seventy-five percent of U.S. consumers said they will spend the same amount or more on digital music downloads this year, compared with 60% who said the same for CDs, and 65% who said so for their video game spending.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of consumers expect to spend the same amount or more seeing theatrical movies in 2009, compared with 66% who said they'd spend the same or more last year.

"Even in the face of a down economy, entertainment remains a popular spending category," said NPD analyst Russ Crupnick.

"Most consumers say they'll continue to purchase at least the same amount of many entertainment categories in the coming year."

NPD estimates that current per capita spending on entertainment in the U.S. is $160 per month, with the bulk taken up by subscription fees related to TV and Internet access services.

The only notable declines in spending observed by NPD in its survey were for magazines and newspapers.