MeasureCast, Inc. reports that during the week of April 15, the MeasureCast Internet Radio Listening Index remained essentially flat, losing less than one-half of one percent. Since Jan. 6, 2002, the index has risen 98 percent. And since January 2001, the index has increased 561 percent.

A recent executive briefing from BIGresearch, Economic & Consumer Insights for Marketing Excutives, covering a survey conducted between April 5th and 12th, concludes that consumers are hanging tough in a sluggish economic environment. The report notes that uncertainty is holding back full blown consumer confidence.

Humphrey Taylor, chairman of The Harris Poll, summarized the Interactive Survey conducted in February and March of this year, concluding that the online population has grown at a modest rate over the last six months after a pause which coincided with the bursting of the dot.com bubble. The 66% of adults now online comprise 137 million, up from 127 million last fall.

Nielsen data from April 14th identifies the top search engines and occasions sites for the week. Yahhoo, MSN and AOL dominate the portal category, while American Greetings and Blue Mountain top the list of special occasion sites.

Findings in How Children Use Media Technology, a newly released, in-depth study from Knowledge Networks/Statistical Research, show how children interact with media in everyday life.

Richard Curtin, the director of the University of Michigan’s Surveys, said of the recently released Consumer Confidence Survey, "While consumers are convinced that the economic recovery has begun, they have come to the reluctant conclusion that the pace of economic growth will be slower than they had earlier anticipated."

A recent Forrester Brief collected and summarized several previous studies to gain an insight into the Internet Consumer. The Brief concludes that marketers should embrace the Internet not only for brand advertising but also by tapping rich data sources for insights into consumers’ needs and motivations.

Of significant interest to those advertising to the automotive market, a recent Forrester study reports that more than one in six affluent households (income in excess of $100,000) bought a new car in 2001. Another 4% bought used cars, and affluent households spend $25,000 every five years to replace their vehicle.

Sales at U.S. Web sites set a new record of more than $17 billion for the first quarter. This level represents an increase of 48% versus one year ago and 8% versus the fourth quarter of 2001. Excluding Travel, online sales totaled $10.1 billion, reflecting 30 percent growth over the first quarter of 2001 and a decline of 7% versus the holiday-driven fourth quarter of 2001.

In spite of a recession and a series of extraordinary negative events, the number of households earning $75,000+ and $100,000+ increased during 2001. And, the number of households with liquid assets of $100,000+ and $250,000+ increased in real numbers.