The Harrison Group, which conducted a 2006 Teen Trend study, found that Americans in the age group from 13 to 18, consumed a huge 72 hours a week of electronic media. Electronic media was defined as the Internet, music, television, cell phones and video games. The study also confirmed that this age group usually uses more than one device at one time.
Jim Taylor, vice chairman of the Harrison Group said, "This generation is unique, t
een life has become a theatrical, self-directed media production."
This age group has a strong financial base in spite of their age because of money from parents and part-time jobs. The result is $195 million in spending power; a huge portion of it directed toward media and technology.
With music being a huge part of teens lives, the growth of the use of the iPod has been extremely significant. In 2003, only 1% of teens used one, in 2006, one-third of teens own the iPod. Another extraordinary finding from the study was that music was only second in importance to their friends; it even was more important than their families. That's an almost unbelievable, sad finding of the study.
The study estimates that 75% of teens download music or listen to it online for about 2 to 3 hours a day.
This is amazing to me, but not surprising. Being only a generation ahead of these teens (in my mid 20's) I myself feel the effects of this electronic media craze. I lost my ipod and just absolutely "could not" exercise until I purchased a new one. I'd be late for work if I left my cell phone at home and had to go back and get it. At any point in time I can be watching tv, listening to my ipod, surfing the net on my laptop, and texting on my cell phone. It really is a new reality of existence.
Posted by: Lyndsey | December 11, 2006 11:34 AM | Permalink to Comment