wow, what an interesting report by the Guradian and ICM
In their piece published today Young blog their way to a publishing revolution
The opening salvo goes like this
Millions of young people who have grown up with the internet and mobile phones are no longer content with the one-way traffic of traditional media and are publishing and aggregating their own content, according to the exclusive survey of those aged between 14 and 21.A generation has grown up using the internet as its primary means of communication, thanks to an early grasp of online communities and messaging services as well as simple technology allowing web users to launch a personal weblog, or blog, without any specialist technical knowledge. On average, people between 14 and 21 spend almost eight hours a week online, but it is far from a solitary activity. There are signs of a significant generation gap, and rather than using the internet as their parents do - as an information source, to shop or to read newspapers online - most young people are using it to communicate with one another.
Then next bit really echoes with one of our theories in the book that of Gen "C" or the Community Generation
This trend towards online communication has already manifested itself among music fans, with enthusiastic new communities forming around the latest bands often before they have even released a single or been heard on the radio. According to the survey, those aged between 14 and 21 download an average of 34 tracks a month from the internet and buy an average of two CDs. Of those with internet access at home, almost eight in 10 have a broadband connection. The explosion in cheaper high-speed internet access, which allows quicker access to music and video files and is typically charged at a flat monthly rate, has led to an upsurge in the time web users spend online.The media regulator Ofcom said this year that more than 8m households are now connected to broadband
Other interesting stats are that 31% of 14-21 year olds have their own blog or website.
Interestingly the report supports the claims in our book that in our view media consumptiion has radically changed. Even Rupert Murdoch has woken up this fact and is something we reported on earlier this year.
Even old crusty Michael Howard at the Tory Party Conference yesterday said of these young Generation "C"ers that
Their youth has been shaped by the internet and the iPod, by cheap flights and mobile phones
And finally in a co-joining article in the Guardian, Gen "C" poses a real challenge for the BBC as they try hard to re-capture and younger generations interest in old Auntie.
The results suggest that for the first time in its 83-year history, the BBC risks losing the close relationship with viewers and listeners on which it relies to maintain public support for the licence fee.
Though to be fair its not all bad news as the article points out.
But I guess Tomi and I need to give a big thank you to the Guardian and ICM for providing us with credible data to support our research and theories put forward in our book.
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