The study, entitled "Internet and Multimedia 10: The Emerging Digital Consumer," revealed that Monthly Streamies, are significantly more interested in digital devices than the general population. Twenty-nine percent of Monthly Streamies are "very interested" in plasma or flat panel television sets versus 17% of all Americans. Also, more than one in five Monthly Streamies (22%) are very interested in High Definition Television Sets (HDTV) compared with 12% of all Americans.
The scope of the latest research from Arbitron and Edison Media Research has been expanded beyond Internet usage and streaming media trends to include information on consumer interest in new digital devices, attitudes about programming and a variety of media including digital cable and satellite television.
"Internet broadcasting is rapidly becoming a mass medium with an estimated 103 million people or 44% of the total population having ever used Internet audio or video," said Bill Rose, vice president and general manager, Arbitron Internet Broadcast Services. "Considering the high degree of interest in digital devices exhibited by 'Streamies,' marketers of consumer electronics would be smart to consider advertising on Internet broadcasting to reach and influence their target audience."
The study also reports that the "digital divide" in Internet usage appears to be narrowing:
"The 'digital divide' is narrowing and computer makers, Internet service providers, and broadband companies should be developing marketing plans for the African-American and Hispanic-American population," said Joe Lenski, executive vice president, Edison Media Research. "There is an opportunity to build brand loyalty among these important consumers while they make their computer, Internet and broadband purchasing decisions."
The Internet and Multimedia 10 study also reveals that the number of Americans who have super-fast broadband Internet connections in their homes has more than doubled in the last two years, from 7% in January 2001 to 18% in January 2003. Average time spent online per week among those with broadband is 13 hours compared to eight hours per week for those who use dial-up. Between TV, radio, newspapers and the Internet, those with broadband allocate a much larger share of their daily media time with the Internet (27%) compared to those with dial-up connections (17%).
Additional findings from the study include:
The findings reported here are based on a January 2003 survey consisting of 2,005 telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of Arbitron Fall 2002 radio survey diary keepers.