Study: Average American Watches 143 Hours of TV a Month

Americans watched more than 143 hours a month of television during the second quarter of 2010, according to a study released by Nielsen Thursday.

That breaks down to nearly 4.8 hours a day.

The average person with a DVR watched 24 hours a month of recorded shows, which jumped 20% up to 29.5 hours for the coveted 25-34 demo.

"The emergence of the DVR as a widely distributed device has changed viewing behaviors in many homes," Nielsen wrote. (In an effort to draw higher ratings, NBC just announced plans to expand its comedy block, with 30 Rock airing at 10 p.m.)

While the numbers seem high, they're "essentially flat compared to the same period a year ago."

Teenagers are watching fewer hours of television, which also suggests they may be cord cutting, or watching more programming online. TV viewing increases as the audience ages. Women watch more TV than men, according to the study.