NPD: The subscription model bucks economy

The economy may stink, but consumers are clinging to their entertainment and mobile subscriptions.

According to NPD, monthly per capita entertainment subscriptions rose to $115, up 7 percent from a year ago.

The breakdown from NPD is notable. To wit:

• As of August, 81 percent of U.S households subscribed to a television service (cable, satellite and fiber-optic).
• 76 percent have an Internet subscription.
• 17 percent subscribe to an online music service or satellite radio.
• 14 percent subscribe to an online gaming service.
• Mobile data subscription plans were 9 percent, up from 6 percent last year.
• 14 percent of consumers had a home-video subscription service like Netflix, up 2 percent from a year ago.
• 29 percent of Americans had a newspaper subscription, down 2 percent from a year ago (you'd think it would be worse).
• And 41 percent of consumers subscribed to magazines, down from 43 percent from a year ago.