Trends in internet use - how public radio fits in

TRENDS IN HOW PEOPLE USE THE INTERNET Lee Rainie Director – Pew Internet Project Public Radio Program Directors Cleveland, Ohio 9.16.09

New information ecosystem: Then and Now Industrial Age Info was: Scarce Expensive Institutionally oriented Designed for consumption Information Age Info is: Abundant Cheap Personally oriented Designed for participation

2000 46% of adults use internet 5% with broadband at home 50% own a cell phone 0% connect to internet wirelessly <10% use “cloud” = slow, stationary connections built around my computer The internet is the asteroid: Then and now 2009 79% of adults use internet 63% with broadband at home 85% own a cell phone 56% connect to internet wirelessly >two-thirds use “cloud” = fast, mobile connections built around outside servers and storage

Media ecology – then (industrial age)
Product Route to home Display Local storage
TV stations phone TV Cassette/ 8-track
broadcast TV radio
broadcast radio stereo Vinyl album
News mail
Advertising newspaper delivery phone
paper
Radio Stations non-electronic
Tom Wolzien, Sanford C. Bernstein & Co

Media ecology – now (information age)
Product Route to home Display Local storage
cable TiVo (PVR) VCR
TV stations DSL TV Satellite radio player
Info wireless/phone radio DVD
“ Daily me” broadcast TV PC Web-based storage
content books iPod /MP3 server/ TiVo (PVR)
Cable Nets broadcast radio stereo PC
Web sites satellite monitor web storage/servers
Local news mail headphones CD/CD-ROM
Content from express delivery pager satellite player cell phone memory
individuals iPod / storage portable gamer MP3 player / iPod
Peer-to-peer subcarriers / WIFI cell phone pagers - PDAs
Advertising newspaper delivery non-electronic cable box
Radio stations camcorder/camera PDA/Palm game console
game console paper
Satellite radio e-reader / Kindle storage sticks/disks e-reader/Kindle
Adapted from Tom Wolzien, Sanford C. Bernstein & Co Ubiquitous computing age -- “internet of things”

Myth 1: Everyone is online Reality: Digital gaps are persistent Pew Internet & American Life Project – April 2009 survey

Myth 1: Everyone is online Reality: Digital gaps are persistent Pew Internet & American Life Project – December 2008 survey

Myth 1: Everyone is online Reality: Digital gaps are persistent Pew Internet & American Life Project – April 2009 survey

Myth 2: Everyone is online every day Reality: Some are casual and infrequent users
27% of internet users do NOT use the internet on an average day
More than 40% of those with home internet connections do NOT go online every day
28% of home broadband users do NOT go online every day
More than 30% of those with work internet connections do NOT go online every day
Pew Internet & American Life Project – April 2009 survey

Myth 3: Non-internet users are far removed from online life Reality: Some are drop-outs, some are second-hand users
21% of non-internet users were at one time in their lives internet users
No longer interested
Computer or connection didn’t work
Too expensive
Too frustrating
13% of non-internet users live in households with internet connections – other members of the family use the internet in the house

Myth 4: All non-users want to go online Reality: Surprising numbers have no such wish
86% of non-internet users say they have no desire to go online
Don’t want it
Don’t need it (don’t know what is helpful)
Can’t afford it
Like other methods of gathering information and communicating
Too complicated
Too scary

Myth 5: Younger users dominate the internet Reality: In many cases, they don’t
Younger users dominate
Games
Social network sites
Music downloading
Job information
Go online for fun/diversion
Blog writing and reading
Watching and creating video
Participating in virtual worlds
Instant messaging
Older users dominate
Health information
Buying goods
Banking
Using government websites
Religious information
Twitter
Weather
Political news

Myth 5: Younger users dominate the internet Reality: In many cases, they don’t
Generations are pretty equally engaged
Email
Search engines
Product research
News
Travel reservations
Job-related activities
Maps
Hobby information
Online classifieds
Auctions
Podcasts
Genealogy

Information and media ecosystem changes
Volume of information grows
Variety of information increases
Velocity of information speeds up
The times and places to experience media enlarge
People’s vigilance for information expands AND contracts

Information and media ecosystem changes
The immersive qualities of media are more compelling
Relevance of information improves
The number of information “voices” explodes – and the voices become “louder” and more findable
Voting and ventilating are enabled
Social networks are more vivid

Behold Networked Individuals … those with a different sense of …
Expectation about access to, availability of, and pathways to information
Place, distance, presence, intimacy – it’s all ambient
Time use
The possibilities of work, learning, and play
The scalability of conversation and community
The persistence of “digital me” and “digital you”
Personal efficacy and the payoff for personal effort
Boundaries and contexts – public and private
The rewards and challenges of networking for social, economic, political, and cultural purposes – new layers and new audiences

Behold Networked Individuals … those with a different way of getting the news

People-Press news consumer typology Behold Networked Individuals … those with a different way of getting the news

Comparative advantages of public radio
You have carved out a powerful “macro-niche” in a world of proliferating niches and declining mass audiences
You are the masters of story telling
You are the masters of compelling serendipity
Yours is the ideal format/platform for a multitasking world
You already enjoy the role of being a “node” in people’s social networks in a world of Networked Individuals

A general new pattern of communication and influence – the 4 As
attention
acquisition
assessment
action

How do you….
get his/her attention?
leverage your traditional platforms and narrative style
offer alerts, updates, feeds
be available in relevant places
find pathways through his/her social network

How do you….
help him/her acquire information?
be findable in a “long tail” world
pursue new distribution methods
offer “link love” for selfish reasons – you want joint referrals
participate in conversations about your work

How do you….
help him/her assess information?
honor the ethics of your kind of data and culture
be transparent, link-friendly, and archive everything
aggregate the best related work
when you make mistakes seek forgiveness

How do you….
assist him/her act on information?
offer opportunities for feedback
offer opportunities for remixing and mash-ups
offer opportunities for community building
be open to the wisdom of crowds

A handy tech-user typology
http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/5-The-Mobile-Difference--Typology.aspx

What we measured
Assets
Actions
Attitudes

Overall picture
39% are motivated by mobility
5 groups that are being drawn into deeper use thanks to mobile connections
Wireless connections prompt them to use the internet more and feel better and better about its role in their lives
Self expression and networking matters to them, but some have mixed feelings
61% are tied to stationary media
5 groups that do not feel the pull of mobility – or anything else – drawing them deeper in the digital world
Some have lots of technology, but it is relatively peripheral in their lives
They have plateaued in internet use and enthusiasm -- or are on the outskirts of digital life

Motivated by mobility – Group 1 Digital collaborators (8% of population)
Tech lifestyle attributes
With the most tech assets, Digital Collaborators use them to work with and share their creations with others.
The lead the pack in every dimension of our analysis: assets, actions, attitudes towards technology.
Always-on broadband and always-present cell connection is key to their lives.
These veteran users are enthusiastic about how ICTs help them connect with others and confident in how to manage digital devices and information.

Demographics
Male: 56%
Median age: 39
Race: Diverse
Education: 61% college +
Household income: 53% make > $75K
Employment status: 70% employed FT
Community type: 52% suburb; 36% urb.
Funky facts: 12 years online
73% married
51% parents minor children

Important because
They are your most consistent, prime consumers
They are early adopters
They are most potent influentials
They are evangelists and their word of mouth really, really matters
When you want to explore new editorial direction, they will give you feedback

How to be a node in their network
Stay true to your kind of story telling but use multiple platforms
News to them is instrumental (important to their lives) and a social lubricant (driveway moments matter to them)
Give them the tools to collaborate and share
Enlist their help in giving you coaching and feedback on the experiments with technology you want to try

Motivated by mobility – Group 2 Ambivalent networkers (7% of population)
Ambivalent Networkers have folded mobile devices into how they run their social lives, whether though texting or social networking tools online.
They tie for first or take second in all assets and actions categories.
They also rely on ICTs for entertainment.
But they also express worries about connectivity; and some find that mobile devices are intrusive.
Many think it is good to take a break from online use.
Their keyword about technology might be “obligation” – can’t afford to be off the grid, even though they want to be.

Demographics
Male: 60%
Median age: 29 (youngest)
Race: Little more minority than DigCollab.
Education: 23% college +
Household income: 44% make < $50K
Funky facts: 30% are students
34% are NOT email users
83% are cell texters

Important because
They are tomorrow’s primary customers and influencers
They like you but haven’t yet solidified the bond
They are the “net newsers” who prefer the internet to other news sources and will care about your online offerings

Think of yourself as a sanctuary where they can linger and focus on stories
Help them navigate through information overload – aggregate and filter for them
Think about ways to reach them through games -- 54% of them own video game console
Help them feel less of an “obligation” to encounter your material

Motivated by mobility – Group 3 Media movers (7% of population)
Media Movers have a wide range of online and mobile habits, and they like to find or create an information nugget, such as a digital photo, and pass it on.
These social exchanges are central to this group’s use of ICTs – rather than work-related uses.
Cyberspace as a path to personal productivity or an outlet for creativity is less important.
They are not into online content creation the way Digital Collaborators are, yet they are big-time sharers.

Demographics
Male: 56%
Median age: 34 (second youngest)
Race: Diverse
Education: 32% college+ (average)
Funky facts: 31% record video on cell
87% own dig. camera
90% online health seekers

Important because
They are eager social networkers who pass along your material
They add to the diversity of your audience

Help them find outlets for sharing their creations – maybe simple mashup tools
Help them navigate to material that they can pass along to others
They are socializers, so social networking is an experience for “making connections” for them and your material is social currency for them

Motivated by mobility – Group 4 Roving nodes (9% of population)
Roving Nodes are active managers of their social and work lives using their mobile device.
They get the most out of basic applications with their assets – such as email or texting – and find them great for arranging the logistics of their lives and enhancing personal productivity.
They love email and texting, but are too busy to blog or create other content.
Think “working Little League mother”, or caregiver for aging parent when you think of Roving Nodes

Demographics
Female: 56%
Median age: 39
Race: Diverse > Latino
Education: 44% college+ (2nd highest)
Funky facts: 100% have cell phones
heavy internet use at home and work – hard to give up
say tech gives them control

Important because
They are relatively eager audience members and are often your most engaged female consumers
They are good indicators of the tolerances of your audience for editorial changes
If they like what you have changed they will give you more attention

Help them be efficient generally – and especially as parents
They appreciate “push” functions like alerts, reminders
Cloud functions are particularly useful to them because they can be accessed “on the go”

Motivated by mobility – Group 5 Mobile newbies (8% of population)
This group rates low on tech assets, but its members really like their cell phones.
Mobile Newbies, many of whom acquired a cell in the past year, like how the device helps them be more available to others.
The act of getting a cell phone was like a conversion experience for them in the way it opened up the world.
They would be hard pressed to give up the cell phone. And they express general support for the role technology can play in people’s lives even though most do NOT use the internet.

Demographics
Female: 55%
Median age: 50 (oldest MBM group)
Race: A bit weighted to minorities
Education: 72% HS or less
Household income: 45% make <$40K
Community type: 24% rural
Funky facts: just 39%=internet users 46% use computers
none create internet content
love new connectedness

Important because
They greatly diversify your audience
They are traditionally under-served media market

Easy interfaces matter to them
Offer “how-to” material, coaching, and mentoring
Offer pathways to the wonders of the web. They are just getting their feet wet and do not know much about the useful and fun stuff they can find online

Stationary media majority – Group 1 Desktop veterans (13% of population)
This group of older, veteran online users is content to use a high-speed connection and a desktop computer to explore the internet and stay in touch with friends.
They are happy to be connected with they are stationary and sitting. So, they place their cell phone and mobile applications in the background.
For them, online life hit its zenith about 3-5 years ago when they first got broadband connections.
And their 2004 cell phone still serves its primary purpose for them – making phone calls.

Demographics
Male: 55%
Median age: 46
Race: Skews white
Education: 41% college+ (3 rd highest)
Household income: 32% make >$75K
Community type: 52% sub.; 30% urb.
Funky facts: just 77% have cells
int. user 10.5 years
heavy int. users at home and work
average content creators

Important because
They are the second most enthusiastic consumers of news – especially on politics and community affairs
They are influencers, too

They like you already so offer them easy opportunities to experience you “off hours”
They are self sufficient and don’t need a lot of hand holding on search and browsing
May want help/tutorials with content creation (social media) and new applications

Stationary media majority – Group 2 Drifting surfers (14% of population)
Many have the requisite tech assets, such as broadband or a cell phone, but Drifting Surfers are infrequent online users.
They also are not big fans of mobile connectivity.
When they use technology, it is for basic information gathering.
It wouldn’t bother the typical Drifting Surfer to give up the internet or cell phone.
Likely to be secondary user of technology in household.

Demographics
Female: 56%
Median age: 42
Race: Diverse
Education: 33% college+; 33% HS
Household income: 46% make >$50K
Community type: 46% sub.; 35% urb.
Funky facts: 85% have home broadbd 86% have cells
below aver. tech user
tech doesn’t help much 46%=“good to take break”

Important because
They are still pretty engaged with news and public affairs, but they feel less empowered and you might be able to turn that around

Don’t force-feed them material on various platforms
They are episodic and casual visitors
Your traditional offerings in traditional formats are what most appeals to them about you

Stationary media majority – Group 3 Information encumbered (10% of population)
Most people in this group suffer from information overload and think taking time off from the internet is a good thing.
Their attitudes about the role of technology in the world have worsened since 2006 and they see no great benefits from technology in their personal lives.
The Information Encumbered are firmly rooted in old media to get information and communicate.

Demographics
Male: 67% (highest)
Median age: 53
Race: Skews white
Education: 33% college+; 37% HS
Community type: 48% urb; 20% rural
Funky facts: 99% are int. users
75% are cell users
only 52% online typ. day 52% feel overloaded
62% need help new gad.

Important because
They are the alienated and society functions better with their participation and involvement

Sympathize that the world is changing rapidly and perhaps build story telling around that
Be their filters for information and navigators to information
Be a referral service for them in a stressful economy

Stationary media majority – Group 4 Tech indifferent (10% of population)
Members of this group are not heavy internet users.
Although most have cell phones, they don’t like their intrusiveness.
The Indifferent could easily do without modern gadgets and services. They are too much trouble with too little payoff.

Demographics
Female: 55%
Median age: 59 (2 nd oldest)
Race: Diverse (little higher Af-Am)
Funky facts: just 39% are int. users
46% computer users but 86% are cell users
least likely users of everything

Important because
They are on the far side of the digital divide even though they have some relationship to technology

They see no benefits in technology because it is not relevant to their lives – at home or work
Lots of them say they are discouraged and confused when technology doesn’t work
Gentle tutorials might ease their views – internet 101
Work with public access locales – libraries and govt offices – as a lifeline to digital age, but you have to make case technology can help

Stationary media majority – Group 5 Off the net (14% of population)
Members of this group have neither cell phones nor online access, and tend to be older and low-income.
Some have experience with ICTs. They used to have online access and as many as one in five used to have a cell phone.
But it broke, or didn’t provide much enhancement to their worlds, so they did not return to using the technology.

Demographics
Female: 57% (highest)
Median age: 67 (oldest)
Race: Skews to minorities
Funky facts: just 16% have desktop or laptop
they see no lifestyle improvements with technology

Important because
Your historic mission is to try to serve them: Public media was created to give them alternatives to commercial media

Traditional services are most essential and useful to them
Community activities and socializing opportunities are probably their biggest needs from local institutions
Computer 101 and Internet 101 courses might draw some of them to your material

8 tips on how to be a node in a social network
Think like a friend
Remember your strengths and play to them by being an expert, a filter, and a recommender (linker)
Be aware that your audience is bigger than the available evidence provides – lurkers and future arrivals are part of the mix
Look for opportunities to provide support to users and chances to build communities with your material

8 tips on how to be a node in a social network
Help people cope with technology
Participate in the Web 2.0 world
Embrace the move towards mobility, constant connectivity, perpetual contact
This changes the realities of time and space and presence
Ask for help/feedback

Thank you!
Lee Rainie
Director
Pew Internet & American Life Project
1615 L Street NW
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
Email: [email_address]
Twitter: http://twitter.com/lrainie
202-419-4500

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Trends in internet use - how public radio fits in

by Lee Rainie on Sep 17, 2009

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Trends in internet use - how public radio fits in — Presentation Transcript