Communications & Attitudes: The Internet versus Print Media
Presented to: PRIMIR
John B. Horrigan
Associate Director for Research
Key questions • When will everything be like Star Trek?
– When reams of data are instantly available, easily analyzed, and accessed on a flexible and portable device. – Not any time soon, as people still: • Go to libraries • Buy books • Read newspapers . . . although less than before
• What are frictions along the pathway to that vision?
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Two parts to the answer
• Technology: depends on the evolution and convergence of three things:
1. Displays 2. RFIDs and sensors 3. Networks
•
Users: how they adopt new technology
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Technology I: Displays
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Technology II: Displays … electronic paper
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RFIDs and Sensors: the internet in things
• Well deployed in business practices and supply chains. • Growing use among consumers, e.g., smart cards or EZ pass • Consumer concerns about privacy is issue:
– Need to develop tools that let people control information about themselves
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Networks: Adoption of high-speed at home
Home Broadband & Dial-Up Penetration
(% of adult Americans) Broadband 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
Ju n00 De c00 Ju n01 De c01 Ju n02 De c02 Ju n03 De c03 Ju n04 De c04 Ju n05 De c05 Ju n06 De c06 Ju n07
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Dial Up
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EDUCATION: Percent in each group with broadband at home (Sept 2007 survey)
80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% LT HS HS Grad Some college College +
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71% 62%
38% 26%
INCOME: Percent in each group with broadband at home (Sept 2007 survey) 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% LT $25K $25K-$40K $40K=$60K $60K-$100K GT $100K
9
82% 66% 56% 46%
29%
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AGE: Percent in each group with broadband at home (Sept 2007 survey)
70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 18-29 30-49 50-64
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65% 59% 49%
16%
65+
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Access on the go
(Sept 2007 survey)
• 46% of internet users, in past year, have gone online someplace other than home or work.
– For adults under 30, 68% have done this.
• Of this group:
– 65% have done this using their cell phones to access the web – 64% have done this using a laptop on a wireless broadband to access. – 20% have done this using a Blackberry, Palm, or PDA
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Impact of innovations takes time
• Pathway of innovation:
– Invention disruption investment installation
• This process can take up to 30 years, and we’re at the beginning of the “installation phase” in the information & communication technology revolution • Why?
– Getting technology right – Getting the rules right – Drawing users in
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Wither old media?
(% getting news yesterday)
Pew Research Center for the People & Press, May 2006 survey
Age 18-29
30-49
50-64
65+
TV News
49%
53%
63%
69%
Newspaper
24
36
47
58
Radio
26
43
39
27
Online news
24
29
21
10
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Different media sources viewed differently by users
• Newspapers – Seen as a relaxing activity – A habit – A thorough information source • Internet news – Convenience – Speed – Customizable • For adults under 30, internet is a main news source – relative to newspapers – for most news categories except local news.
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Why a typology?
Information & communications technology
Application s
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How we put it together
• Large survey (n=4,001) that focused on three dimensions of use of information & communication technology (ICTs): Assets o Internet (and broadband at home) o Computer use (laptop & desktop) o Cell phones o iPods o Web cams o Video recorders & digital cameras Actions o User-generated content o Gaming o Cell phone applications Attitudes
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What we found …
10 groups of ICT users that fall broadly into three classes of users • Tech elite (4 groups)
– 31% of the adult population
• Middle-of-the-road users (2 groups)
– 20% of the adult population
• Low-tech users (4 groups)
– 49% of the adult population
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The Tech-oriented groups
• Omnivores (8%) … in their late twenties: – Have the latest gadgets – Use ICTs as a platform for creativity, participation, entertainment, socializing • Connectors (7%) … in their late 30s, mostly women: – Into emailing and cell phone use to stay in touch with others and connect to community groups • Lackluster Veterans (8%) … 40-ish men: – Don’t like the extra connectivity of ICTs – Use ICTs out of necessity • Productivity Enhancers (8%) … also 40-ish: – Highly positive view of ICTs as way to manage busy lives
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Middle of the road users
• Mobile Centrics (8%) … in their early 30s:
– Fully embrace functionality of cell phones – Low home broadband access (37%) makes internet less central to their tech habits
• Connected but Hassled (10%) … mid-40s:
– Lots of technology assets 80% with broadband – Not a lot of tech satisfaction connectivity is a burden and many suffer from information overload
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Low tech groups
• Inexperienced Experimenters (8%) … 50-ish women: – Not a lot of gadgets or online experience, but might do more with ICTs with more familiarity with applications. • Light but Satisfied (15%) … early 50s: – ICTs on the periphery of their lives, but they are content with occasional use to keep up with others • Indifferents (11%) … late 40s: – Infrequent users who find connectivity annoying • Off the Network (15%) … mostly women in mid-60s: – This group has neither cell phones or internet access
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Three key gaps across typology groups
Age Attitudes about utility Perceptions about usability
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10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
0.0%
5.0%
O m ni vo re s C on n ec t or s La ck lu st er Ve ts ha nc er s Pr o dE n
M C on n ec t ed /H as sl ed en tri c ob ile C
% population
Li gh t/S at is fie In d if f e d re nt O ff N
Age and the Typology Groups
% of over 50 pop
In x Ex p
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et
Percent in selected groups who say information & communication technology helps "a lot" in making them more productive
90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30%
20% 72% 66% 83%
20% 10% 0%
Omnivores Connectors Productivity Enhancers Lackluster Veterans Connected but Hassled Light But Satisfied
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9% 1%
5%
Indifferents
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Need help in getting gadgets to work
60% 51% 50% 40% 31% 30% 20% 10% 0% High Tech Mid-Tech Low Tech
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13%
Typology implications
• Age matters, but it’s not the only explanatory factor • Gaps & frictions cut in different ways:
– Many have more tech than they use – Some might do more with more technology and more experience – Many users will use ICTs only with lots of coaching & support. – Some are unlikely ever to embrace ICTs
• Lots of tech capability idle in people’s hands & homes • Far from the “mature phase” of ICT adoption and use in the United States
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Implication for printing industries
• Online resources complement traditional media, they don’t substitute completely for them. • Young people are:
– more reliant on the internet and other information gadgets than older people. – less likely to form newspaper reading habit
• Roughly one-third of the adult population are attuned to new media. • The day when electronics can enable highly portable and flexible displays is a way off. • The challenge for the printing industry is to be open to product and institutional innovation.
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