• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, May 11, 2005

Consumers' Internet use continues to grow at the expense of "traditional" media like TV, radio, magazines, and newspapers, according to a recent BURST! survey of more than 2,600 Web users. When asked about changes in their media consumption over the past year, 61 percent of respondents said they spend more time on the Internet today than a year ago, with 32 percent of respondents saying they spend "much more time" online, and 29 percent claiming to spend "somewhat more time" online.

At the same time, 36 percent said they are spending less time today than a year ago watching television, 34 percent spend less time reading magazines, 30 percent devote fewer hours to reading the newspaper, and 27 percent aren't listening to the radio as much.

Of note, even among teens and 18- to-24-year-olds, three out of five--62.6 percent and 60.9 percent, respectively--said they were spending more time today on the Internet than a year ago. These are groups that most think already spend a significant portion of their overall "media time" online. Eighteen- to-24-year-olds are more likely than other segments to say they are spending less time today than a year ago listening to radio--33.7 percent--or watching television--40.5 percent. Other demographic segments who said they spend less time watching television include males ages 25-34 (39.6 percent) and males ages 35-44 (41.2 percent).

Women ages 25-34 and 35-44 are the demographic segments most likely to say they spend less time today than a year ago reading newspapers: 34.6 percent and 39.5 percent, respectively.