• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, May 23, 2007

Americans Spend Half of Their Spare Time Online

According to Netpop I Play, a new report from Media-Screen, broadband users spend an hour and 40 minutes (48% of their spare time) online in a typical weekday, and more than half of that is spent accessing activities related to entertainment and communication.

Josh Crandall, managing director of Media-Screen, says "Many broadband consumers go online for entertainment, and to talk about entertainment with other fans. Marketers need to leverage that interest..."

Search engines and social networking sites are gaining in popularity, says the report, influencing an equal number of people as magazines and newspapers.  48% of younger users say they learn about new entertainment through community, review and video sharing sites and blogs. Only 25% say they learn about new entertainment through television. 

 Crandall goes on to say "Currently, the proportion of advertising resources devoted to the Internet (about seven percent according to ZenithOptimedia) is nominal relative to the value it generates... among fans... consumers, on a typical weekday, spend more than 40% of their time consuming media online..."

Two online media activities - sending email and visiting Web sites for personal reasons - are more popular than watching television, says the report:

Regular Media Related Activities(% of Respondents)
Online Media
Send Emails	90%
Visit Web sites for personal reasons	81
Play online casual games	52
Instant messaging	35
Listen to MP3s	28
Sent text messages	26
Listen to Internet/online radio	25
Offline Media
Watch Television	63%
Read magazines/newspapers	52
Watch videos/DVDs	52
Listen to AM/FM radio	48
Play video games	34
Watch pre-recorded TV	23
Watch video/movies on portable device	14
Source: Media-Screen and Netpop | Play 2006

And, the report find that roadbanders spend 27 percent of their overall time online, or about one hour and forty minutes, on leisure and entertainment

Allocation of Time Spent Online(% of respondents)
Leisure of Entertainment	27%
Communication	27
News or Information	19
Personal Productivity	15
Shopping	12
Source: Media-Screen and Netpop | Play 2006

Other topics covered in the Report include:

• Online versus offline sources used to learn about bands, TV shows, movies, games and Web sites
• Community-based activities such as rate/review a product, publish a personal page, upload a video or audio file
• Influence of user-generated sources and content
• Fan-related activities
• Entertainment content accessed online by psychographic group
• Demographics of population and usage among gender, age and income

For more information, please visit Media-Screen here.