New York Leads in HD Uptake

The east is the best: New York residents are leading the nation in adopting high-definition television (HDTV), with 17.5 percent of households receiving the new broadcast standard, The Nielsen Co. said Tuesday.

New York has almost 1.3 million households that are receiving at least one HD network or station ("HD receivable"), out of almost 7.4 million total households. Los Angeles has the highest number of households equipped with an HDTV and tuner ("HD capable"), but trails with only 17.1 percent actually receiving an HD station.

Washington, D.C., placed third, with 16.8 percent who are HD receivable, represented over 387,000 households.

Nationally, 13.7 percent of households are HD-capable, but only 11.3 percent, or just over 12.7 million households, are actually receiving HD service.

Households classified as Hispanic or Latino had 10.4 percent capability, with 8.2 percent receiving. African-American households had 8.1 percent HD-capable and 6.9 percent HD-receivable.