Internet Continues Gains at Expense of Other Media Including Radio
06.27.2008
Adults now are spending more time with the Internet than radio in the United States, according to The Media Audit, which reviewed findings of a recent report.
It found U.S. adults spend an average of 3 hours 17 minutes per day online, compared to 2 hours 2 minutes per day a year ago, a 62% increase, thus the Internet represents 29% of the typical media day for U.S. adults.
The average adult spends 160 minutes per day listening to radio, or 2 hours 40 minutes, unchanged from the previous year. The company also said about 14% of adults visit a radio Web site in a typical 30-day period, many of whom are likely streaming radio content.
Adults continue to spend the most amount of time watching television, 222 minutes per day, or 3 hours 42 minutes, flat since the previous year. Television as a percent of the total media day has shrunk from 36.5% in 2006 to 32.7% in 2007.
“The Internet’s explosive growth has yet to show any signs of slowing,” according to the company. “Last August, The Media Audit reported a 78% increase in Internet usage between 2005 and 2006 when U.S. adults increased daily usage from a mere 69 minutes per day to 122 minutes. At that time in 2005, the Internet represented only 12.3% of the typical media day for U.S. adults and grew to 20% in 2006.”
Radio represents 23.5% of the typical media day for U.S. adults, down from 26.8% in 2006, while newspaper represents 7% (down slightly from 7.7%) and outdoor represents 7.9% (down from 9%).
The average time on the Internet among Hispanics is now 203 minutes per day, which exceeds the average for U.S. adults, an 81% increase since 2006. The average time spent on the Internet among African Americans is 226 minutes, also higher than the adult average, a 93% increase.