About two-thirds of media agency executives say they feel they are growing dependent on media as a source of information and/or entertainment in their lives, a considerably higher percentage than the 47 percent of consumers who felt that way, according to results of a series of online surveys conducted in April by InsightExpress.
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I feel I'm growing more dependent
on media...*
% Who Agree
All Media Agency Executives 61%
C-Level Executives 64%
Senior
Management 53%
Middle Management 57%
Media Planners 67%
Media Buyers 63%
Online Media
Planners/Buyers 61%
Consumers 47%
Source: MediaPost Advisory Panel, InsightExpress consumer panel. Based on a self-administered survey
conducted online in April by InsightExpress. *Entire question read: "I feel I'm growing more dependent on media as a source of information and/or entertainment in my life."
Most alarming of all, a sizeable share of media planners and buyers feel media is beginning to crowd out other important things in their lives, such as family, friends, "quiet time," exercise, sleep and even work. MDN over the next several days will be reporting details of these findings, which come from what we believe may be the first media consumption study of its kind conducted among the media buying trade itself.
Meanwhile, one of the top lines may help explain why media agency execs are feeling a little like casualties of a self-created occupational hazard. On average, they estimate they are spending 7.37 hours each weekday consuming media (at home and at work). While that's actually marginally below the 7.47 hours estimated by consumers, C-level executives, buyers and planners - particularly planners - said they were way over that average. When you consider that most self-administered surveys on media time usage tend to significantly underestimate actual media consumption, it's easy to understand why the media planning/buying trade is feeling overwhelmed. Planners, for example believe they are spending 9.73 hours each weekday with media, nearly 2.5 hours more than their colleagues and consumers.
Estimated Time Spent With Media* During A Typical Weekday
Average Number Of Hours Daily
All Media Agency Executives 7.37
C-Level Executives 7.86
Senior Management 6.36
Middle Management 7.06
Media Planners 9.73
Media Buyers 8.13
Online Media Planners/Buyers 7.71
Consumers 7.47
Source: MediaPost Advisory Panel,
InsightExpress consumer panel. Based on a self-administered survey conducted online in April by InsightExpress. *Newspapers, magazines, radio, television and online, both at work and at home.