AUGUST 12TH, 2010
By JOHN
According to the latest Nielsen data, the average audience of the four major television networks is older than ever.
- CBS median viewership is the oldest at an average 55 years old
- ABC averaged 51 years old
- NBC viewers are a little younger, average 49
- The Fox audience is a relatively youthful 44
Ten years ago the average age of viewers for these networks were clearly younger by three to nine years.
Where is this leading? Check this story to see what the highest paid TV personalities make every year…powerful evidence that despite the aging audience, broadcast television isn’t likely to disappear any time soon — it remains a lucrative media channel. As long as the advertising money keeps pouring into the networks, they’ll stay in business.
When was the last time you held a newspaper in your hands? I mean, held it to…read? I’m not talking about using a paper to blot us some spill in your garage, or to train the puppy, or to keep that spray paint from getting all over the place.
I’m guessing you haven’t really read a newspaper in the past two or three months. If so, you’re not alone. By most – if not all – measures – the U.S. newspaper business is dying. Except for a few major players, newspapers are bleeding money and ink all over.
The contrarian in this doomsday scenario is, most notably, The Wall Street Journal – which, by the way, has the very best newspaper app for Apple’s iPad (I wonder if the WSJ owner, media savvy Robert Murdoch, has any Apple stock?). I’ll predict here that the WSJ will succeed, long-term, as an entity. They’ve leveraged their content all over the place, and even have the audacity to (gasp) charge customers to read their columnists and features.
Most of the print industry, though, will probably go under or just fade away slowly to irrelevance…IF it doesn’t take its cues from Mr. Murdoch and go digital.
Sample data points from a recent study the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development show the dire circumstances of the American newspaper business, especially when compared to other countries:
- Fewer than half of all adults in the United States regularly read newspapers in 2008, compared with 96 percent in Iceland.
- Advertising contributed 87 percent of newspapers’ revenues in the United States, compared with 53 percent in Germany, 50 percent in Britain and 35 percent in Japan.
In light of such stats, I wondered how much longer the industry can survive here in the U.S.
Some industry veterans are decidely pessimistic about the viability of newspapers. Here’s a site for laid off journalists to offer their “parting words” of wisdom about the biz. There’s even a website where you can donate to…
- advance the search for a support system for the kind of serious public interest reporting that our democracy requires, and that is now so threatened.
Wow.
These thoughts were prompted by some news reports, and also by my need to renew my subscription to…The Wall Street Journal. Yeah, the print edition. I am one of the few people I know of who still read a newspaper – an actual PAPER – every day. Started this daily routine when I was about ten years-old. Not quite ready to stop reading a paper.
Are you?
I saw this factoid and thought it was pretty interesting.
According to a story in Themusicvoid.com, Pandora’s managers recently said that Americans listen to about 20 hours of music a week and radio listening accounts for 17 of those hours.
If true, the iPod hasn’t (yet) killed radio, not even a little.
My 18 year-old tried it but quit, suggesting it just didn’t “do anything” for him. My 21 year-old totally shut his account down, saying he just didn’t see the point. Meanwhile, I keep plugging away at…Twitter. And recent data indicates we’re a rather normal family when it comes to tweeting.
According to a recent Pew Research Center, teens aren’t Twittering. Only 8% of teens utilize the microblogging site.
Teens DO use Facebook and other social sites, however. That same Pew report showed that 73% of young teens (ages 12 to 17) use Facebook.
Here’s a chart showing the frequency of online access by teens – nothing startling, but pretty interesting.
If you like numbers, data and trend projections, check out these twenty “mind-blowing” social media stats.
The short of all this: media messaging requires an awareness of where the intended audience is, what media they are using and where they congregate.
If “knowledge is power,” what do you know?
Here are some selected stats about Generation Y, that huge demo of 18-29 year-olds, from a recent MediaPost blog entry:
- Three-quarters have created a profile on a social networking site
- One-in-five have posted a video of themselves online
- Nearly one-in-four have a piercing in some place other than an earlobe, about six times the share of older adults who’ve done this
If you aren’t sure what to make of this, check out the entire MediaPost article.
OCTOBER 2ND, 2009
By JOHN
I love the simplicity of the iPhone, and often tell people it “just works.” That’s a lot different than previous cell phones I’ve used. It isn’t for everyone, but as the growing sales numbers reflect, more people are paying the premium for Apple’s elegant mobile computing solution. A friend just purchased a new iPhone, and we’re getting together for lunch today for a little tutorial. Apart from the basics, here are some notes I made of tips I need to tell him:
- Buy a charger for the car. Unfortunately, your phone will need recharging at the most inopportune time. Make sure you have it when you need it by plugging it in while you drive. Cost: Deals online for as little as $3-5.
- Buy an external battery. There are batteries that snap into the phone’s dock/charging port and provide several hours of power. You’ll find a battery handy when you phone runs out of juice just when you need it most. I keep one in my laptop bag at all times. Cost: $15-25.
- Buy and use a headset. Be smart, be safe, and use a headset. While the corded earbuds that come with your phone are alright, untangling the cord is a big pain – and it is impossible to do while driving. If you don’t have one, find a good Bluetooth headset. I have a Plantronics model I picked up at Amazon for half off, and I really like it. Cost: Range for good headset is $50-$75.
- Take advantage of free apps. Developers often have special, limited-time free offerings. Also, many dvelopers offer a free “lite” version of an application, with reduced capablities, in hopes that you’ll like it so much you’ll want to pay for the full version. Either way, this is how I’ve found some gems, and it is really the only way I get games (I don’t have this phone for games, but every now and then it is nice to let the kids play something while we wait at the doctor’s office, for instance). Cost: Nothing! I check dealnews.com daily for the latest freebies.
- Buy a few select apps. I’m not inclined to pay more than $.99 for a phone application, but I have done so for a travel app that tracks flights and keeps me up-to-date on airport weather. I also bought an audio recording app (before Apple made that functionality standard in the iPhone OS). I’ve been very selective about the apps I’ve bought, and I’d advise slow-going for new users. Cost: Varies widely, although most apps are under $10.
I’m sure “power users” could add some tips, and I’d welcome those comments.
SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2009
By JOHN
Here’s a thoughtful, engaging conversation about how to reach Gen Y – what they value, how they relate to the messenger AND the message. Takes about 20 minutes, and the interview begins around the 3:20 mark. The stats alone make it worth your while, although there’s much more here.
According to a recent study, reported in MediaPost, use of Facebook by workers is causing a measurable loss of productivity. For instance,
- Those who access Facebook at work do so for an average of 15 minutes each day
- 87% of those who access Facebook at work couldn’t define a clear business reason for using it
So, how about you? Here’s what I’d like to know:
- Do you access Facebook, Twitter or other social media at work?
- If so, do you visit these sites for work-related reasons?
- What’s the average amount of time you are on social sites per day while at work?
Leave a comment — I’ll be in contact with one respondent, randomly chosen, to receive a free book.
In the U.K. people use their phone more for texting than making calls. That’s just one of the data points in this research brief. Check it out to see what Americans do most with their phones.
You’ll probably agree with the premise of this WSJ piece by Robert Lee Hotz. You know intuitively that this is right. And you may even yearn for what is described:
…Our brain is most actively engaged when our mind is wandering…
The article cites research that supports the benefits of daydreaming, and notes that those who have had historically significant “Aha!” moments discovered something important when they were allowing their minds to wander.
Now, don’t use this research as an excuse for being inattentive and lazy; rather, consider the need in your life for some downtime, some space. That means getting away from the phone/laptop/paperwork and the crush of the routine, and giving your mind permission to sort, ponder and discover.
Related: You might want to get this classic book, Margin, by Dr. Richard Swenson. He illustrates this same kind of principle by referring to ink on a page. Nobody can read a book that has text running from top to bottom, side to side, without any margin. That white space that every book (and indeed, every website) has surrounding the text allows the brain to process and understand. In the same way, we need “margins” in our lives, so we don’t overstimulate and overload.
And, in this audio discussion, Dr. Archibald Hart offers a scientific look at anhedonia, a condition in which an individual is addicted to overstimulation. It is a growing problem, especially amongst younger people who are constantly bombarded by sensory input.
Maybe today will mark the start of something different for you? Turn off the electronics, get away from the calendar and let your mind wander. Who knows, you may discover something really, really big!
