Many tots watch 32 hours of TV a week

NEW YORK — It's not called the electronic baby sitter for nothing.

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The Nielsen Co. says in a study released Monday that children ages 2 to 5 watch more than 32 hours of television each week.

Kids 6 to 11 spend a little less time in front of a TV screen — more than 28 hours. But that's partly because they have to go to school.

According to the study, the television viewing by children 2 to 11 is the most since 1995.

The younger kids, or at least their parents, are tech-savvy. The 32 hours of TV-watching includes an hour and a half of shows taped on a digital video recorder, and 4 1/2 hours of programs on a DVD.

Nielsen also says children ages 6 to 11 play video games on a television for nearly 2 1/2 hours a week on average.