Results from a new study conducted by the Online Publishers Association (OPA) has revealed that the Internet is ranked within the top two for media usage both at work and home, proving that the web is now a major player in the mass media market.

The study, “A Day in the Life: An Ethnographic Study of Media Consumption” tracked 350 consumers’ media usage (against 15 different mediums) every 15 seconds across 13 hours of their waking day. Results show that the web clearly dominated media usage at work, accounting for approximately 55 percent compared with 21 percent reach for television, with over 60 percent of respondents using the Internet for nearly two hours a day.

Additionally, the Internet has become a powerful tool in extending the reach of television, radio, newspaper and magazines. The research revealed that television’s reach in the morning increased from 41 percent to 62 percent when combined with using the web, and from 17 percent to 44 percent for newspapers.

OPA President, Pam Horan stated, “Based on our real-world observations, it is clear that consumers are consistently online even while they’re watching TV or listening to the radio. This unique attribute of Web usage means that advertising messages receive a dramatic boost when online is part of the buy”.

According to findings from Neighborhood census data, online users have significantly greater buying power compared to television users ($21 000 for TV dominant groups, compared with $26 000 for web dominant groups on an average annual spend). With web users spending more money on an annual basis, and with the powerful reach the Internet adds to other media, Horan suggests that advertisers should act faster and tap into the immense potential that lies in front of them.

“Industry data shows that the Web takes up between 20 and 25 percent of consumers’ overall media time, but attracts about 8 percent of advertising dollars. While advertisers have been steadily moving to the Web in recent years, this research indicates the shift should be on a much faster pace. As a mass media with a powerful ability to extend the impact of all media, the Web clearly offers tremendous untapped advertising opportunities”.

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