• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, October 28, 2003

Simultaneous Media Use on the Rise

The Simultaneous Media Usage Survey (SIMM), recently released by BIGresearch, showed that, of those who say they go online while watching television, 94 percent regularly or occasionally tune out mentally when a commercial comes on. Similarly, 95 percent of those who read the newspaper while watching television mentally tune out commercials. The solution for those trying to reach consumers, says BIG, is to plan for that disruption.

The SIMM data is reported to allow advertisers and media planners to identify which media platforms consumers use in tandem -- newspapers, TV, radio, Internet, instant messaging, cell phones, PDAs, PVRs, etc. -- and when they use them. It also tracks a target audience's shopping habits and allows media professionals to create plans that reach that audience on each medium.

A BIGresearch chart, contained in the report, illustrates the habits of Wal-Mart shoppers who watch TV while using other media:

Activity	Approximate simultaneous users
Read the mail	66%
Read the newspaper	52%
Read magazines	51%
Go online	62%
Listen to radio	17%

Source: BIGresearch October 2003

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