Seventy Percent of Media Consumers Use Multiple Forms of Media at the Same Time

Reston, VA - Three quarters of U.S. television viewers read the newspaper while they watch TV, and two thirds of them go online while they watch TV, according to a study of simultaneous media consumption released today by The Media Center at the American Press Institute. (Details)

The Simultaneous Media Usage Survey (SIMM), conducted by BIGresearch in October 2003, reveals a higher-than-expected level of media multi-tasking. With 70 percent of media users saying they at one time or another try to absorb two or more forms of media at once, the SIMM results have far-reaching implications - technology and content providers, marketers and advertisers have to wonder: Who is paying attention to what, and when?

Key study findings include:
* People who regularly or occasionally watch TV and read the newspaper at the same time: 74.2%
* People who regularly or occasionally watch TV while going online: 66.2%.
* For simultaneous online users, TV viewing is down 8.8% among 18 to 24 year-olds and down 12.2% among 25 to 34 year-olds in favor of video games
* What people do as they wait for downloads from the Internet: listen to the radio (52.1%); watch TV (61.8%), read the newspaper (20.2%)
* Importance of word of mouth when it comes to making purchase decisions: 72.5% of all consumers say it's very important versus 80% among cell phone users.

The SIMM study is an eye-opening window on the frequent simultaneous use of media by consumers. As new technologies enable mobile media consumption, The Media Center expects the quest for mindshare and influence to become as important as the quest for audience mass and brand awareness.

The research provides quantifiable data on consumer media behaviors as an alternative to traditional audience measurement techniques, which at best capture bodies or time in front of devices but do not necessarily capture mindshare or influence.

The Simultaneous Media Usage Study was conducted online in October 2003, using Big Research's proprietary sampling technique, with 13,414 respondents participating. The margin of error is +/- 1 percent.

The Media Center has partnered with BIGresearch to identify actionable trends in media audience behavior. The Media Center provides insight to individuals and organizations concerned about the media future and their role in it.

For more information, contact Gloria Pan, Media Center communications director, at (703) 715-3301 or gpan@mediacenter.org.

About The Media Center

The Media Center is a nonprofit think tank committed to building a better-informed society in a connected world. The Media Center conducts research, educational programs and symposia and facilitates strategic conversations and planning on issues shaping the future of news, information and media.

The Media Center helps leaders, organizations and educators around the world understand and create multimedia futures. Its programs and engagements provide innovation, knowledge and strategic insights for personal, professional and business growth.

A division of The American Press Institute, The Media Center was established in 1997 to help the news industry devise strategies and tactics for digital media. In September 2003 it merged with New Directions for News, an independent media futures think tank. The merger created a global, multi-disciplinary network of researchers and leading thinkers focused on the future of media and the behaviors of consumers in a media-centric world.

For more on The Media Center's upcoming seminars , research and services, go to www.mediacenter.org.

About BIGresearch

BIGresearch is a market intelligence firm providing analysis of consumer behavior in the areas of retail, politics and media. The twice-annual Simultaneous Media Usage Survey (SIMM) quantifies how the public consumes media and the impact those patterns have on buying habits in a fragmented and changing marketplace.

BIGresearch's methodology provides the most accurate consumer information in the industry with a margin of error of +/- 1 percent. Complimentary top-line findings are available at www.bigresearch.com.

Gloria Pan
Communications Director
The Media Center at API
11690 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, VA, 20191-1498
(703) 715-3301
gpan@mediacenter.org