Thursday, July 12, 2007
Media Shifts
byThe media landscape for consumers and marketers continues to change as the relative importance of the “Big 4” media (TV, Internet, Radio, Newspaper) has transformed over the last five years. According to a study conducted by Edison Media Research and Arbitron, the most profound shift for consumers has been the Internet. The chart below tracks the changes from 2002 to 2007 regarding what people consider their most essential medium.
For the total population ages 12+, the Internet is now close behind TV as the most essential medium, and for those ages 12 to 44, the Internet is clearly the medium of choice.
Keep in mind this is not necessarily rating the popularity or usage of a medium, it is simply asking how essential that medium is for people. Newspapers have seen the greatest decrease, as much of the daily content that was once the proprietary strength of paper-based newspapers has been co-opted by other sources on the Internet.
There is no reason to expect these numbers won’t continue to shift in the same direction in the years ahead. In fact, Harry Fuller, an executive editor at CNET News, makes an excellent case why this shift will accelerate.
Media habits are always changing one way or another, and that shouldn’t be too disruptive as long as marketers are willing to shed old paradigms for new realities. Unfortunately, in times of rapid transformation such as is happening now, many recalcitrant players in the marketing and media industry seem more focused on protecting decreasingly efficient, but still profitable, business models, rather than embracing the opportunities that change presents.
