One in five Americans consider the internet to be the “most essential” medium in their lives and it is now appreciated as much as television, according to a report from Arbitron and Edison Media Research.
Survey results published in “Internet 9: The Media and Entertainment World of Online Consumers”, showed that 34% of respondents believed that the internet was the most “cool and exciting” medium compared to 35% who favoured television. The web is particularly feted by the younger generation. 46% of 12-to-34 year olds chose the internet as the best medium with just 29% opting for TV.
The report revealed that internet access has levelled off at around 70% of the US population. However, the average American now spends 58 minutes online per day, up from 41 minutes in July 2001. This is partly due to the increasing popularity of residential broadband with 28% of homes that can receive the internet now relying on a high-speed service.
The research paid particular attention to the habits of “Streamies”, namely those people who regularly watch or listen to streaming media. Preliminary results showed that contrary to music industry opinion, they bought more compact discs than other consumers (see Streaming Media Encourages Music Sales, Says Report). Digital rights violations have forced many webcasters to abandon streaming and this has raised the ire of monthly Streamies with two-thirds expressing dissatisfaction at their demise.
It is made apparent that these technology driven members of the public should be regarded as a lucrative source of income rather than a threat to music sales. More than half (57%) of monthly Streamies have a household income of more than $50,000 and 45% have a college degree or higher level of education. The study also found that they spent $895 online in the past year, well above the average of $596 for all internet users.
It is significant to note that 22% of Streamies indicated that they would be willing to pay a small fee to listen to their favourite online audio channel, an increase from 14% in January 2002. Despite the restrictions being placed on streaming media, as of July this year, an estimated 83 million Americans had been exposed to internet audio or video and the number of people who had experienced it in the previous month was 38 million, up one million from last year.
“These numbers are remarkably strong considering the turmoil in the streaming media sector,” said Larry Rosin, president of Edison Media Research. “While a number of radio stations and webcasters have ceased streaming due to the newly imposed government digital rights fees, consumers are still seeking out compelling audio and video content in record numbers.”
A strong correlation was drawn between interest in audio streaming and satellite media. Around 18 million Americans are satellite radio enthusiasts and 63% of these people have used streaming media. These consumers seem to share an interest in audio content which is not currently available over traditional radio.
