Young people abandoning email and TV

Two new studies conclude that young people are more into online games than social networks, and they also view the computer as more of an entertainment device than their television. Both findings should be welcome news for digital marketers eager to gain even more interest from brands targeting the coveted demographic.

A new report from The Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 78 percent of teens play online games, while 65 percent use social networking sites, MediaWeek reports. The line between gaming and social networking blurs for adults between the ages of 18 and 32, however. Half of that age group plays online games, while 67 percent of them are on social networking sites.

While almost a third of teens aren't using social networks, the popularity of email is in drastic decline. At least 73 percent of teens still use email -- no small number -- but that's down from the 89 percent who used email in 2005. They're flocking to social networks, text messaging, and instant messaging in lieu of email, Pew concluded.

Deloitte's State of the Media Democracy survey found that three-quarters of "Millenials" between the ages of 14 and 25, find their PCs much more entertaining than the typically passive TV watching experience, MediaPost reports.

The firm surveyed Millenials in Brazil, Germany, Japan, the U.K., and the U.S. and found that they're still the most active in gaming, music, and using the web for socializing.

The firm concluded that 80 percent regularly search for and download music online, and 73 percent regularly use social networking sites, chat rooms, and message boards. Moreover, 59 percent use their mobile phone as an entertainment device, and overall they're spending at least one-third less time watching their TV than other generations.

By Matt Kapko
From: www.imediaconnection.com