Nielsen's 2010
Internet & Technology Report was released
in Australia yesterday and, surprise surprise, it finds we are spending ever
more time online.The study found internet usage has risen by
nearly 10 per cent over the past twelve months; users are now typically spending
17.6 hours online every week.
This is a whopping 28.5 per cent increase on
2007 usage levels and a 9 per cent increase on 2008 levels. Again,
unsurprisingly, 16 to 29 year olds are the heaviest users, spending an average
22 hours online every week, while 30 to 49 year olds are averaging around 18.2
hours.
Those over 50 - whom you might think are too
busy either tinkering with their ham-radios or scrawling angry letters-to-the-editor
on their Smith Corona typewriters to spend time 'internetting' - are spending
a weekly average of 15.5 hours online, almost as much time as they spend
watching Eastenders and Antiques Roadshow on television.
Males are spending more time online than females
and users based in major cities are spending more time online than
their counterparts in regional areas. The study - which gathered 2371 responses from internet users and non-users through both online surveys and telephone hook-ups - found too that in major
centres, the internet is now equal with television as the preferred outlet
through which to source news and information.
What
is interesting about the report is that it finds that, rather than
concentrating on just one form of media (ie. television, radio, internet) at a
time, people of all ages are increasingly multi-tasking with various media at the
same time.
It's
a bit like a McDonalds ad currently airing here in Australia. In keeping with
the conglomerate's successful 'Love...' campaign, a smartly-dressed Gen-Y clown
happily reads the paper, listens to his I-Pod and surfs the web, somehow still
managing to wolf down an artery-clogging bacon, sausage and egg McMuffin in the
process. 'Love multitasking (and
heart disease, it would appear)' the ad declares; yumbo.
Anyway,
I digress. The Nielsen study found 49 per cent of internet users multitask the
internet and television at the same time, while 39 per cent do the same with
internet and the radio. It's common now for live television shows (like the
ABC's 'Q&A' current affairs program, for example) to encourage viewers to actively
engage with guests via Twitter. Other shows, meanwhile, direct
viewers to websites where additional content is available to download for a limited time.
The
release of the I-Phone, Blackberry and other smart phone devices means we all
now have the ability to go online - and stay online - just about anywhere. The
daily commute to work on the bus or train once saw people awkwardly negotiate
their broadsheet newspapers with the throng of other passengers doing the same.
That has now given way (what's a
broadsheet anyway? I hear you ask) to a sea of white earphones connected to
internet-capable phones, I-Pods and other similar devices, at which most of us
stare blankly.
It's interesting
though - and reassuring - to note older generations are increasingly embracing
new technology, as evidenced in the Nielson report. The days of shopping for
45s and LPs may be over, but baby boomers appear to have little trouble
downloading their favourite music.
Apple I-Tunes celebrated its 10 billionth
song being downloaded last week. Notably, the buyer was NOT some youngster
hunting down the latest appalling, mass-produced and marketed dross by the
likes of Ke$ha. Oh no, it was 71-year old country music fan Louie Sulcer from
Woodstock Georgia, who bought Johnny Cash's 'Guess Things Happen That Way', and
won $10,000 worth of free music on I-Tunes for his effort.
I don't know
what I'd download with all that I-Tunes cash but, in a rather feeble attempt to
end this blog rant cleverly, I'd include both Bob Dylan's 'The Times
They Are a-Changin' (because they have) or Handsome Boy Modelling School's 'The
World's Gone Mad' (which it has also). Aaah-Ha! Now, time for a cup of tea.....


