Consumers Using More Old And New Media

A four-year study led by Jay Newell, an Iowa State University mass media professor, found large increases in the use of new media (like the internet and e-mail), but also slight growth in the use of traditional media (such as newspapers, magazines, radio, and television).

This study of online media consumption found that reports of the demise of traditional media (newspaper, magazines, radio, and television) in favor of newer, high technology forms of communications (internet, e-mail) have been greatly exaggerated. Researchers identified three major trends:

• The overall consumption of advertiser-supported mass media increased over the four-year study period, although the magnitude of the change was small.
• Increased use of new media occurred at a more rapid pace than decreases in the use of traditional media.
• Traditional media maintained or increased usage during key revenue-making dayparts (e.g., primetime for television).

Specifically, the percentage of people who said they read a newspaper when one would expect them to has remained stable over the last five years. Magazine usage in all dayparts increased as well, while television increased in the afternoon, primetime, late fringe, and overnight hours. Radio usage, however, declined in late morning and primetime dayparts, although morning drive times and afternoon drive times showed no significant change.

Media buyers who choose to forsake traditional media such as television, radio, newspapers and magazines risk losing a substantial portion of potential communication with key audiences, since this data did not indicate losses in consumer usage of incumbent media in their traditional high-use time periods.