• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, April 26, 2005

The latest Arbitron/Edison Media Research Study of consumer use of Internet broadcasting, the Internet and digital media, contains new data from interviews conducted in January 2005. This study examines American consumers who are increasingly using different forms of audio and video on their own terms; a phenomenon called "On-Demand Media Consumers."

These trends have a fundamental impact on how advertisers successfully market their products and services, says the report. Many of the on-demand media behaviors and devices allow consumers to change or even limit the commercial messaging they normally receive through television, radio and the Internet.

Significant highlights of the report:

• As of January 2005, 81% of consumers have access to the Internet from any location. This is a rise from the 50% penetration figure from just six years ago.
• In January 2005, 48% of people with home Internet access have broadband, and 48% have dial-up service. In January 2001, only 12% of Americans with Internet access at home used a broadband connection.
• Twenty-nine percent of those who record TV to watch at a different time say the ability to skip through TV ads is the primary reason they record TV programming.
• Nineteen percent say both the ability to skip commercials and the ability to time-shift viewing are equally important. However, the majority say that fitting their TV viewing into their schedule is most important.
• Twenty-seven percent of 12- to 17-year-olds, 18% of 18- to 24-year-olds and 20% of 25- to 34-year-olds own an iPod or other portable MP3 player, compared with 9% of those 35 and older.
• As of January 2005, 15% of Americans say they have listened to Internet radio in the last month, and 8% have listened to Internet radio in the past week.
• Fourteen percent of Americans (35 million people) have watched Internet video in the last month, and 8% have watched in the last week.
• 55% of TiVo/DVR owners say that their digital recorder has had a "big impact" on their life. 57% of broadband Internet users say that their Internet connection has had a "big impact on their life."

Find out more at Borrell research reports.