Consumers are using a wider variety of channels than ever before. Newer channels, such as blogs and social networking sites, are gaining more and more traction. The survey found that 26% of consumers use social networking sites, compared to 17% in 2006. The usage of blogs nearly doubled (24% in 2008 compared to 13% in 2006).
| Consumer Usage of Online Media (% of US Consumers Using) | ||
| Online Media | % of Consumers Using | |
|
2006 |
2008 |
|
| Search engines |
61% |
59% |
| Email newsletters |
40 |
42 |
| Cable TV news sites |
38 |
31 |
| Social networking sites |
17 |
26 |
| Company website |
22 |
26 |
| Blogs |
13 |
24 |
| Shopping sites |
17 |
35 |
| Videocasts |
6 |
11 |
| Podcasts |
5 |
7 |
| Company Email blasts |
7 |
9 |
| Business news sites |
8 |
8 |
| RSS news feed |
5 |
7 |
| Mobile media |
5 |
6 |
| Source: Ketchum Public Relations, January 2009 | ||
Among influential consumers, the 10% to 15% of the population who initiate change in their communities, 32% read blogs written by journalists (vs. 8% of the general population), and:
- 43% read blogs by non-journalists, compared to 16% of the general population
- 70% of influencers use search engines, vs. 57% of the general population
- 43% of influencers use video-sharing Web sites, vs. 25% of the general population
- 29% of influencers use specialty information portals (such as WebMD), vs.16% of the general population
- Influencers also use more new media such as videocasts (19%), RSS news feeds (15%), podcasts (12%), and mobile media (9%)
The use of more established media channels continues to wane. 65% of consumers use major network television news as a source of information (down from 71% in 2006). Local television news saw a sharper drop – 62% in 2008 compared to 74% in 2006.
| Traditional Media Media Usage (% of Consumers) | ||
| Media | % of US Consumers Using | |
|
2006 |
2008 |
|
| Major network TV News |
71% |
65% |
| Local newspapers |
69 |
63 |
| Local TV news |
74 |
63 |
| Cable network news |
47 |
49 |
| Family/friends advice |
44 |
47 |
| Talk radio |
36 |
31 |
| Coworker advice |
23 |
30 |
| National newspapers |
18 |
18 |
| Consumer magazines |
23 |
18 |
| Trade magazines/newsletters |
13 |
12 |
| Celebrity endorsement |
14 |
10 |
| Source: Ketchum Public Relations, January 2009 | ||
Swerling concludes “… we’ve watched traditional mass communications give way to communications controlled by the masses… the melding of media is… demonstrated in the actions of legacy media, which are continuing to embrace and implement the principles of new media. Conversely, the journalistic principles that underline news organizations… accuracy, timeliness, objectivity… move to other delivery channels.”
citation: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=98611
