Online media compares favorably with other media: survey

New York: The Online Publishers Association (OPA) has announced the results of the fourth part of its Generational Media Study, a national online survey of 1,235 respondents in the US conducted through Frank N Magid Associates' online division, surveysonline.com. The study consisted of a nationally representative gender distribution within three age groups: 18 to 24 year-olds, 25 to 34 year-olds and 35 to 54 year-olds.

Consisting of a series of research reports, the study is designed to provide a detailed view of media consumers in the age group of 18 to 54 and examines how the internet, television, radio, newspapers and magazines compare across the generations on a range of attitudinal measures. Founded in 1957, Frank N. Magid Associates provides strategic insight and direction for clients in 37 countries around the world.

The Study, which asked respondents to compare qualitative aspects of consuming online content versus offline, found that online journalism compares favorably in head-to-head competition with print and television journalism among all age groups.

According to the results, 97 per cent of respondents said they felt that internet publications are as good as or better than magazines for finding information about products and music.

In addition, 83 per cent said reading a story on the web is the same or better than reading one in a newspaper while 67 per cent said that watching a short video clip online is the same or better than watching highlights on television.

Longer-format videos compare less favorably online, with 63 per cent still believing that television is better for watching longer video programming.

Says Michael Zimbalist, president of the Online Publishers Association, "Consumers continue to move beyond purely functional uses of the internet into more media-oriented activities, such as reading stories, looking at photos, and watching video."

"These results show how receptive people of all ages are to the internet as a medium and not just a tool."

TV and internet tops media choices among audiences
The study also found that the internet and television are the top two media choices among 18 to 54 year-olds, with 45.6 per cent of respondents citing the internet as their top pick, followed by 34.6 per cent who choose television.

The second closest medium is books at 7.5 per cent followed by radio (3.2 per cent), newspapers (3.2 per cent), videos / DVDs (2.8 per cent) video / computer games (2.1 per cent) and magazines (.9 per cent).

The internet is more likely to be the top media choice for 18 to 24 year-olds, with 50.5 per cent choosing the internet, compared to 28.5 per cent who chose television.

All respondents said the internet and television are the most frequently-media.

Forty-one per cent of respondents report using the internet (exclusive of e-mail, IM and chat) while 52 per cent reported viewing television between 2 and 5 hours per day during the week.

Nineteen per cent reported using the internet more than five hours a day during the week, while 15 per cent report watching more than five hours of television per day.

Notably, the internet is the only medium with net growth in perceived time spent. Forty-seven percent of respondents indicate that they spend more time using the internet now compared to one year ago.

Interestingly, 35 per cent of respondents indicate that they spend less time playing video / PC games and 28 per cent say they spend less time watching television.

Internet as an information resource
Not surprisingly, the internet is used more for information, while television is used more for entertainment and relaxation.

Seventy-three per cent of the respondents said the internet is an important part of their day and helps them keep up with topics they are interested in, while 65 per cent of respondents said it provides them with useful information about products and services.

Eighty-six per cent say they watch television for entertainment, with 65 per cent indicating that it is an important way for them to relax.

Significantly there are is almost negligible difference between the age groups in their attitudes toward the internet, television and magazines.

However, the importance of newspapers differs significantly depending on the age group of the respondents, with 38 per cent of the 35 to 54 year-old newspaper readers indicating that newspapers are an important part of their day, compared to only 17 per cent of 18 to 24 year-old readers.

Attitudes toward newspapers are generally most favorable among the 35 to 54 year-olds with one notable exception — trust. Fifty per cent of the 18 to 24 year-old newspaper readers say that they trust the news they get from the newspapers, compared to only 35 per cent of the 35 to 54 year-old readers.

Interestingly, 45 per cent of the 18 to 24 year-olds indicate that they would turn to the internet first for national news (vs. 29 per cent), while 58 per cent would turn to the internet first for weather (vs. 49 per cent) and 51 per cent for sports (vs. 41 per cent).

The Online Publishers Association (OPA), founded in June 2001, is an industry trade organization whose mission is to advance the interests of high-quality online publishers before the advertising community, the press, the government and the public. OPA member sites have a combined, unduplicated reach of 110.5 million visitors, or 73 per cent of the total U.S. Internet audience.