Internet Now THE Media of the Young

This is an amazing sea change reflecting a desire for interactivity and active control above passive reception of one-way communication:

The Internet has surpassed television in overall time usage to become the primary medium of choice among teens and young adults.

That was one finding from a research study commissioned by Yahoo! and Carat North America to determine media consumption among consumers ages 13-24. The survey, which was conducted by Harris Interactive and Teenage Research Unlimited, also found that the younger generation uses the Internet as its media “hub” and feels empowered by the available media choices.

The study polled more than 2,500 teens and young adults and found that during an average week, they spent 16.7 hours online (excluding e-mail), 13.6 hours watching TV, 12 hours listening to the radio, nearly seven hours talking on the phone, and six hours reading books and magazines not related to their studies.

The survey also revealed that “control,” – the ability to personalize and manage the media experience and content – was the primary reason this group chose the Internet over other forms of media. In addition, teens and young adults are able to use more than one form of media at a time more than any other generation, and feel empowered, rather than overwhelmed, by the choices. [AdWeek]

My son, who is 16, really only watches TV to be social with the rest of us. When he feels he has given us enough time, he retreats to the computer to listen to music, chat, watch video, etc, all at the same time.