Tuesday, December 19, 2006

US Census Bureau: "Radio 974, Internet 195"


That's a nice win, and RBR's Jim Carnegie's (703-492-8191) analysis of the great news is worth reprinting in case you missed it:

Media use up, and so is radio
The Census Bureau has released a report noting that US consumption of the media is continuing its upward trend. According to USA Today, the average citizen will go from 3,333 hours a year in 2000 to an estimated 3,518 hours next year. That's 146 solid 24-hour days, or about five months. Veronis and Suhler places the lion's share of that time - 1,555 hours - in front of the television, with 43.6% going to broadcast and 56.4% to cable/satellite. The total is up from a combined 1,467 hours in 2000. And those predicting a long, slow decline for radio will have to think again. The senior broadcast medium is up from 942 hours to 974. However, the big winner will be no surprise, According to the Associated Press, internet use has gone from 104 hours to 195, in the process eclipsing both newspaper (201 hours to 175) and magazines (135 hours to 122). Book readers are about flat, down an hour to 106, while video gamers are on the ri! se, from 64 hours to 86.

Carnegie's RBR observation:
OK advertisers. Radio 974, internet 195. This is no contest, especially if you want to weave your product or service into the daily routine of your geographical market, something the internet is ill-suited to do. Advertisers, you'd be crazy not to have an internet presence. We've completely remodeled our whole business concept around it. But we're a magazine, one of the mediums clearly leaking air. Radio is not, and it remains one of the straightest and strongest paths to the local population that you can find.

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