Future:Media:Change

The Internet has surpassed TV and radio as the most essential medium for Americans, a new study finds, and roughly as many people would choose to live without TV as the Internet if forced to choose.  Given the usage metrics reported in the rest of the study, it’s no wonder.

Arbitron and Edison Research conducted the national telephone survey (landline and cell phone) February 2010, querying 1,753, people aged 12 and above. The survey explored American consumption patterns of texting, social media, video, radio, mp3 players, and podcasting.  Here are highlights of its findings.

Most essential medium

For the first time, the Internet has surpassed other media as the most essential medium. Percent of respondents who said each medium was the most essential to them:

• 42% – Internet
• 37% – TV
• 14% – Radio
• 05% – Newspapers

It was a toss-up which of the two media they would give up if they had to, TV or the Internet:

• 49% – TV
• 48% – Internet

Unsurprisingly, this varies by age, with younger choosing to live without TV and older choosing to live without the Internet. TV begins to win out starting in the age 45-54 age cohort.

Social media

As social media has continued to boom, the percentage of people with profile pages has risen to 48% of respondents. This varies by age but, as the report says, “older age groups experienced triple digit growth in social network adoption” this year.  Percent of respondents with profile pages, broken out by age:

• 78% – 12-17
• 77% – 18-24
• 65% – 25-34
• 51% – 35-44
• 35% – 45-54
• 31% – 55-64
• 13% – 65+

Texting

84% of the study’s respondents own cellphones.  Of them, 45% of them said they text multiple times a day (28% never do).  This also varies by age, but not quite as much as you would think.  Percent of respondents who text multiple times a day, broken out by age:

• 75% – 12-17
• 76% – 18-24
• 63% – 25-34
• 42% – 35-44
• 37% – 45-54
• 17% – 55-64
• 07% – 65+

??Media penetration

TV still has the greatest market penetration, with 98% of the sample owning or using one. Cell phones, however, are making gains.

• 98% – TV
• 92% – Local AM/FM Radio
• 84% – Cell phone
• 52% – Online radio
• 49% – Online video
• 48% – Social networking sites
• 46% – YouTube
• 41% – DVR
• 28% – iPod
• 23% – non-iPod mp3 player
• 23% – Audio podcasts
• 20% – video podcasts
• 15% – Hulu
• 12% – Satellite radio
• 09% – Blackberry
• 07% – iPhone
• 07% – Twitter
• 03% – eReaders
• 03% – HD Radio

Access speed

Access speed is little changed from last year’s report, but 62% respondents now have wifi in their homes.

• 84% broadband
• 13% dial-up

Dial-up users have significantly lower education and income levels, concrete proof of the digital divide.

The report provides a lot more data about these and other media, with loads of graphs you may want to use in your own presentations. I recommend filling out their form and downloading the full report to get every drop.