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viewers to the web
Surfers spend fewer hours watching television
By Marty Beard
The relationship between the TV set and the PC is an oddly synergistic one, with many predicting that the two in time will fuse into one box.
At least part of the thinking behind this notion is the growing evidence that more and more people are watching TV while surfing.
But a new study suggests that while this may be going on, in the longer term the internet will win out over TV watching.
"The internet represents the most important technological development of our generation; its effects may surpass those of television and could someday rival those of the printing press," concludes the study by the UCLA Center for Communication Policy.
The UCLA study found that internet users watch 4.5 less hours of television per week than non-internet users.
"It seems that internet users may find the time to go online by reducing their television viewing," the report says.
Thirty percent of new internet users report that they spend less time watching TV now, compared to 35 percent of very experienced users, or people who have been online for five or more years.
Just 2.2 percent of new users and 2.4 percent of experienced users report that they watch more TV now.
Non-users spend an average of 10 hours a week watching TV, compared with 9.4 hours for new users and 6.7 percent for very experienced users.
The study also found that 72.3 percent of Americans have internet access, and that 44 percent of the non-users say they are very or somewhat likely to go online next year, which indicates that the trend of choosing web surfing over channel surfing will continue to grow.
Television is not the only medium or activity affected by the internet.
Since they've come online, internet users spend an hour less per week reading books than non-users and 0.9 more hours a week playing video or computer games.
They also spend less time reading newspapers and magazines, talking on the telephone and listening to the radio.
Still, internet users remain enthusiastic consumers of all media. The amount of time they spend with particular media may be shifting, but they still consume more media overall than non-users.
While they may watch less TV than non-users, they read more books, newspapers and magazines, and listen to music and the radio.
For example, 87.6 percent of internet users report reading books, compared to 74.1 percent of non-users.
Ninety-two percent of internet users listen to the radio, compared to 85.3 percent of non-users.
The UCLA study confirmed yet again that internet users, as other studies have shown, are multitaskers.
Among very experienced internet users, 38.7 percent listen to music on the computer while online; 46.9 percent listen to the radio; 37.2 percent participate in online chats or instant messaging; 32.6 percent watch TV; and 43.9 percent talk on the phone.
Internet users spend slightly more time playing games or sports than non-users. Non-users spent 2.8 hours a week participating in such activities, compared to 3.1 hours for new users and 2.9 hours for very experienced users.
Non-users spend 6.6 hours a week sharing an evening meal with members of their household, compared to 5.5 hours for new users and 5.6 hours for very experienced users.
December 4, 2001 © 2001 Media Life
-Marty Beard is a staff writer for Media Life.
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