The Internet is more essential than TV, radio or newspapers — at least for 20% of Americans, according to a study by Edison Media Research for Arbitron.
That’s pretty amazing for a medium that has been a mass medium for about seven years. Clearly, the quantity and quality of the information on the Internet is better than all of TV and radio, and any reasonable selection of newspapers. Of course, a lot of it comes from newspapers, which post it for free on the net.
Combine the information with communication, and it’s not too surprising that the Internet is more essential than these passive media. I’m sure that more than one in five would rate the telephone as more essential than TV, radio, or newspapers — or the Internet.
However, I wonder whether the Internet has reached its natural market size. Will many more Americans will find this (ultimately pretty cerebral) medium essential?