• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, June 30, 2008

According to an online study from Forbes.com and Gartner, the Internet continues to be the most influential and important source of business information for C-Level executives around the world, at 67%. This number has increased 37% since 2004. At the same time, C-Level executives, citing newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal as their main source of business information, has decreased 36% since 2004

Before starting the work day, says the report, C-Level executives prefer to access the Web rather than read the newspaper. The number of C-Level executives who prefer the Internet first thing in the morning has increased 22% since 2004, while those who prefer to read the newspaper first thing in the morning has declined 11% over the same time  period.

Additionally, the study finds:

• C-Level executives consume media on the Web more than any other medium (TV, Radio, Magazines, Newspapers), at 41%
• More than two in five C-Level executives believe the Web contains the most informative advertising
• Senior executives are increasingly utilizing the Web to find information and shop
• Senior executives are researching their competitors and industry trends online on a daily basis

Jim Spanfeller, CEO and President of Forbes.com. "This study further underscores our belief that the highly desirable C-Level executive audience will continue to increase its use of the Internet as a primary source of business information... "