RESTON, Va., March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Three quarters of U.S. television
 viewers read the newspaper while they watch TV, and two thirds of them go
 online while they watch TV, according to a study of simultaneous media
 consumption released today by The Media Center at the American Press
 Institute.
     The Simultaneous Media Usage Survey (SIMM), conducted by BIGresearch in
 October 2003, reveals a higher-than-expected level of media multi-tasking.
 With 70 percent of media users saying they at one time or another try to
 absorb two or more forms of media at once, the SIMM results have far-reaching
 implications -- technology and content providers, marketers and advertisers
 have to wonder: Who is paying attention to what, and when?
     The study findings and details are available with a video briefing at:
 http://www.mediacenter.org
     The study's finding will be discussed during a webcast hosted by The Media
 Center today, March 24, at 2:00 p.m. ET.  To participate, register at:
 http://66.119.37.169/cfmx/ec/register/reg.cfm?BID=1&RegID=40ECE195-B478-1F5E-
 67E0874B0120D990
 
     Key study findings include:
 
         * People who regularly or occasionally watch TV and read the newspaper
           at the same time: 74.2%
         * People who regularly or occasionally watch TV while going online:
           66.2%
         * For simultaneous online users, TV viewing is down 8.8% among 18- to
           24-year-olds and down 12.2% among 25- to 34-year-olds in favor of
           video games.
         * What people do as they wait for downloads from the Internet: listen
           to the radio (52.1%); watch TV (61.8%); read the newspaper (20.2%)
         * Importance of word of mouth when it comes to making purchase
           decisions: 72.5% of all consumers say it's very important versus 80%
           among cell phone users.
 
     The SIMM study is an eye-opening window on the frequent simultaneous use
 of media by consumers.  As new technologies enable mobile media consumption,
 The Media Center expects the quest for mindshare and influence to become as
 important as the quest for audience mass and brand awareness.
     The research provides quantifiable data on consumer media behaviors as an
 alternative to traditional audience measurement techniques, which at best
 capture bodies or time in front of devices but do not necessarily capture
 mindshare or influence.
     The Simultaneous Media Usage Study was conducted online in October 2003,
 using Big Research's proprietary sampling technique, with 13,414 respondents
 participating.  The margin of error is +/- 1 percent.
     The Media Center has partnered with BIGresearch to identify actionable
 trends in media audience behavior.  The Media Center provides insight to
 individuals and organizations concerned about the media future and their role
 in it.
     For more information, contact Gloria Pan, Media Center communications
 director, at (703) 715-3301 or gpan@mediacenter.org
 
     About The Media Center at the American Press Institute
     The Media Center is a non-profit research and educational think tank
 committed to building a better-informed society in a connected world.  The
 Media Center conducts research, educational programs and symposia and
 facilitates strategic conversations and planning on issues shaping the future
 of news, information and media.
     The Media Center helps leaders, organizations and educators around the
 world understand and create multimedia futures.  Its programs and engagements
 provide innovation, knowledge and strategic insights for personal,
 professional and business growth.
     A division of The American Press Institute, The Media Center was
 established in 1997 to help the news industry devise strategies and tactics
 for digital media.  In September 2003 it merged with New Directions for News,
 an independent media futures think tank.  The merger created a global, multi-
 disciplinary network of researchers and leading thinkers focused on the future
 of media and the behaviors of consumers in a media-centric world.
     For more on The Media Center's upcoming seminars, research and services,
 go to www.mediacenter.org
 
     About BIGresearch
     BIGresearch is a market intelligence firm providing analysis of consumer
 behavior in the areas of retail, politics and media.  The twice-annual
 Simultaneous Media Usage Survey (SIMM) quantifies how the public consumes
 media and the impact those patterns have on buying habits in a fragmented and
 changing marketplace.
     BIGresearch's methodology provides the most accurate consumer information
 in the industry with a margin of error of +/- 1 percent.  Complimentary top-
 line findings are available at www.bigresearch.com
 
 

SOURCE  The Media Center at the American Press Institute

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