Mobile and Internet Driving Increases in Media Consumption

indian family carouselThe rapid growth in the use of digital services, both internet and mobile, is driving media consumption rates higher than ever, with the average rate in 65 countries around the world rising above eight hours.

The figures come from ZenithOptimedias Media Consumption Forecasts, which show people spending an average of 492 minutes a day consuming media in 2015, a 1.4 per cent increase from last year, while internet use is up 11.8 per cent in the same period.

Media consumption has increased at around 1.2 per cent a year since 2010, while in the same period of time, time spent on the internet has nearly doubled, from an average of 59.6 minutes in 2010 to 109.5 minutes in 2015.

Mobile technology is one of the largest drivers of this change, giving consumers new opportunities to access media while out and about, while also connecting new audiences to the internet who previously did not have access.

The forecast predicts that media consumption will continue to rise at around 1.4 per cent a year until 2017, with the internets share of overall consumption increasing from 12.9 per cent in 2010 to around 28.6 per cent in 2017.

“The average person already spends half their waking life consuming media,” said Jonathan Barnard, head of forecasting at ZenithOptimedia. “But people around the world are clearly hungry for even more opportunities to discover information, enjoy entertainment and communicate with each other, and new technology is supplying these opportunities.

“Technology also enables brands to communicate with and learn from consumers in new ways. We expect media consumption to continue to grow for the foreseeable future, multiplying the opportunities for brands to develop relationships with consumers.”