• by Shankar Gupta , September 14, 2005

Web surfers seek out news more than any other type of content, according to a study released Tuesday by BURST! Media.

Sixty-two percent of the 6,400 online users ages 14 and over surveyed by BURST! reported that they are most interested in news when they go online. The next most popular category, entertainment, was most sought after by 35 percent of respondents.

Although news was the top overall, it didn't claim the top spot in certain demographics--for teens, gaming sites were the most popular, with 55 percent saying they regularly visited them, and for 18- to-34-year-old respondents, entertainment information was the highest-rated, with 43.7 percent of respondents regularly visiting, and with news a close second at 42.8 percent.

BURST!'s study, however, suggests that while consumers are reading their chosen content, they're not certain whether it's targeted at them. Fifty-eight percent of users 55 years and older said that Internet content is aimed at users younger than them. Meanwhile, 34 percent of users 14-17 years of age said that Internet content is primarily focused on older users.

But around 63 percent of members of the highly prized 18- to-24-year-old and 25- to-34-year-old demographic groups said the content was aimed at their age group.

An earlier BURST!! study suggests many consumers feel that online advertising is aimed at other age groups. Just 29 percent of Web users ages 14 and older think online advertising is focused on people their age.