• by Masha Geller , April 18, 2002

The biggest story of the day comes from Jupiter Media Metrix, which earlier today reported that Internet usage more heavily affects the television viewing habits of women with children than women without children in the U.S.

According to the first report from Jupiter's new Online Behavior & Demographics service, 44% of women with children admit that their usage of the Internet decreases the time they spend watching TV.

Jupiter analysts forecast that marketers and publishers will have the opportunity to reach more than 49 million women online between the ages of 18 and 49, in addition to another eight million female college and graduate students by 2006.

Jupiter Research Analyst Jon Gibs suggested that advertisers and programmers interested in reaching mothers should consider increasing their online marketing efforts relative to TV advertising.

The report also reveals that women with children enjoy using the Internet to play games online (29%), download music (29%) and conduct research for school and homework-related projects (40%). In contrast, women without children are more inclined to turn to the Internet for utility-related activities, such as making travel arrangements (54%), doing research for work (41%), checking stock quotes (20%) and reading the news online (47%).

According to Jupiter analysts, women without children spend more money online than women with children. The Survey reveals that 63% of women without children spent over $100 online over the past three months, while only 52% of women with children said the same. Meanwhile, 47% of women with children spent $100 or less online in the previous three months, while this was true for only 35% of women without children. Jupiter analysts attribute these findings to levels of disposable income -which tend to skew higher for women without children.