February 2008

Study shows: 44% of Canadians are online while conducting other activities

CALGARY, AB– “Online Media: All Change!” a new study released by Ipsos Reid, has found that online Canadians are multi-tasking for almost one-half of the time they spend on the Internet. Study author Mark Laver noted that “this is a very interesting finding in itself, particularly from an advertiser’s perspective. With such a high degree of multi-tasking occurring, how can an advertiser (online or offline) be sure their message is getting through? Keeping this in mind, advertisers and media companies need to ensure that they have the appropriate tracking mechanisms as well as unique and different material in order to break through in this cluttered environment.”

On average, online Canadians spend almost equal amounts of time on the Internet and watching television—approximately 15 hours each. Both measures remain essentially unchanged from early 2007. Online Canadians spend an additional ten hours each week listening to the radio, while only three hours—or less than 30 minutes a day—reading the newspaper.

“The fact that Internet usage has caught up with and is keeping pace with television watching is just another indication of how rapidly online Canadians’ entertainment habits are changing. For many companies a multi-channel strategy is imperative for meeting the demands of today’s operating environment,” continues Laver.

The “net generation” —those that have grown up with technology—should be of particular concern to advertisers and traditional media. This segment of the population is spending significantly more time online and significantly less time watching television than their older counterparts. Those aged 18-34 are spending 18.4 hours online each week, compared to 13.6 hours and 14.2 hours for those aged 35-54 and those aged 55+, respectively. Further evidence as to some of the struggles being faced by traditional media companies in the Internet Age: 40% of online Canadians do not read magazines, 19% do not read a newspaper and 15% do not listen to the radio.

”We are living in an era of massive change. All companies need to understand how the Internet is affecting their business and build strategies on how to deal with this change. The consequences for those that fail will be severe,” concludes Laver.

For more information on this or other Ipsos Reid studies, contact Mark Laver, mark.laver@Ipsos.com