• LA Times, Monday, August 14, 2006 11:48 AM

Girls these days are constantly using their cell phones, texting or talking or surfing the Web on sites like MySpace, chatting on IM or surfing iTunes--and yet 12- to-14-year-old girls are still most deeply motivated by TV, says a new LA Times/Bloomberg poll that surveyed the habits of 12- to-24-year-old girls. Sixty-five percent say they're influenced by a TV show or network, and are more likely to multi-task, while 41 percent say there are still too few choices for entertainment. Because of their insatiable appetite for entertainment, Hollywood loves the better half of Gen Y--but they're an elusive bunch, with fickle, unexpected tastes. "They are smarter than we think," says Jenny Wall, who heads integrated marketing at the agency Crew Creative, which develops teen-targeted campaigns for TV networks and movie studios. "I would be lying if I said I knew exactly how to reach them," she says. "They are hard to reach," and will tune you out easily if your message fails. The survey says these kids are rule-following, overprotected, and very tech-savvy. More than half of teenage girls report regularly instant-messaging; about two-thirds read and write emails, and just under half regularly use social networks. Parents closely monitor the actions of the younger set: 68 percent of girls ages 12 to 14 say their parents know how they spend their time online; a third say their parents check their social networking sites; 31% say parents check their email; and 58% know the content rating of their video games.

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