Net Worth: More Execs Prefer Internet For Info

Business executives are abandoning newspapers like The Wall Street Journal in favor of the Internet as their primary source of business information, according to a new survey by Forbes.com and Gartner.

The Forbes.com data, gathered this January, suggests that affluent decision-makers are migrating to the Web even faster than the population at large, painting an ominous picture for newspaper publishers--who hardly need more bad news right now.

In the last four years, the number of C-level executives who consider the Internet the most important and influential source of business info rose from under 50% in 2004 to 67% in 2008--roughly seven out of 10 executives. Moreover, the number of executives who say that newspapers are their main source of business info fell 36% in the same period. In fact, more executives preferred the Web than any other medium, including TV, radio and magazines.

This shift is reflected in behavioral changes. Since 2004, the number of executives who like to start their day with a look at the Web increased 22%, while the number who prefer to read the newspaper fell 11%.

On the advertising side, about two in five C-level executives say the Web contains the most informative advertising relative to other media. Significantly, more senior executives are using the Web for research and personal shopping, as well.

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