Numbers

By Harriet Barovick, Autumn DeLeon, Michelle Derrow, Aisha Durham, Sanders Goodrich, Tam Gray, Lina Lofaro, Tim Padgett and Reed Tucker

$2 billion Amount spent on advertising to children in 1998, 20 times more than in 1988

30,000 Number of TV commercials seen per year on average by an American child

63.7 Number of hours per year children ages 6 to 12 spend reading at home

36% Percentage of women older than 75 who say they "would be quite happy never having sex again"

5% Percentage of men older than 75 who say the same

$10 million Amount former NBA star Isiah Thomas paid for control of the Continental Basketball Association

$15 million Amount the L.A. Lakers will pay Shaquille O'Neal this season

6'5", 6'1", 6'0", 5'11" Heights of presidential contenders Bill Bradley, Al Gore, Steve Forbes and George W. Bush

2 Number of times the shorter presidential candidate has won since the TV era began in 1952

Sources: USA Today; TV-Free America; Consumer Reports; Start Early; AARP/Modern Maturity; Los Angeles Times; Washington Post