Online Audience - 2006 Annual Report

Is the Web still ruled by the young? While it may be true that young people are the heaviest users of the dizzying array of available online functions such as instant messaging and downloading music, does that also apply to online news use?

Young Americans clearly lead the way in a number of non-news activities available to Internet users. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, they are most likely to say they use instant messaging, visit an adult Web site, take part in a chat room, use online classified sites like craigslist to sell or buy something, download music, watch a video clip or listen to an audio clip, play video games online, gamble online, look for information about a job or place to live, share files, participate in a fantasy sports league, and use a Webcam.22

It also turns out that young people are considerably more likely than other age groups to say the Internet is their main source of news. Currently, 36% of those 18 to 29 say the Internet is their primary source, more than those 30 to 49 (30%), 50 to 64 (16%) and those over 65 (4%), according to the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.23

Other research also suggests that younger Americans rely on the Web as their main source of news to a greater degree than other age groups. Consumer Reports found that nearly one in five Americans (19%) 18 to 40 consider the Internet their primary news source, more than double those 41 to 59 (8%), and far surpassing those 60 or over (1%).24

There is evidence, however, that older Americans are more likely than younger ones to be frequent news consumers, which raises questions about the devotion of young people over time to any online news product, and about the best use of ad dollars.

While 29% of those 18 to 29 say they get news online every day, 37% of those 30 to 49 are every-day online news consumers, according to the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.25

That is also true when the question is about going online for news “yesterday,” which is another way to measure frequent use. Just over a quarter (26%) of online users 18 to 29 years old received news yesterday, fewer than the 35% of online 30-to-49-year-olds or the 29% of those 50 to 64, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project.26

Finally, where do young Americans go for online news? The Carnegie Corporation of New York surveyed Americans 18 to 34 and found that Internet portals such as Yahoo were the most popular daily news source , with local TV news sites second, and network or cable TV sites and newspaper sites tied for third.27 This, too, could have major implications for the future, especially since newspaper Web sites are not high on the list.