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Internet Usage Catches Up With Television In US
Hugh Pickens writes "Joshua Brustein writes that, according to a survey by Forrester Research, the amount of time people spend on the Internet has increased 121 percent over the last five years with Americans now spending as much time using the Internet as they are watching television. And while people younger than 30 years old have spent more time with the Internet than television for several years, Forrester's survey shows that this is the first year that people in older age groups are doing so as well. Forrester's survey also shows a significant increase in the number of people using the Internet to watch streaming video with 33 percent of adults surveyed this year saying they use the Internet to watch video, up from 18 percent in 2007. However the rise of the Internet is not necessarily leading to a drop in television consumption because the Internet, and particularly the mobile Internet, simply creates more opportunities for people to consume media, says analyst Jacqueline Anderson with younger viewers increasingly comfortable with the Internet as the place to watch their television. 'For the younger population, the TV is still important, but where they're getting that content from is changing,' says Anderson. 'For the generations that are coming up, that's where we're going to see the cut.'"
I am one of the people that does not even watch TV. With stuff like Hulu and even Netflix, there is no need. You can watch all of your shows online. Sometimes for free like with Hulu, and sometimes for a small fee like Netflix. Even networks themselves have been catching on and playing episodes of their own shows online. That is how I caught the first episode of Walking Dead is because AMC had it streaming on their website. Some of us have no need for a TV outside of video games. I can catch any news I want through websites that are known to have good sources, television shows through streaming services, and even movies through streaming services. Depending on the movie, I will sometimes just catch a deal on a dvd or blu-ray from whatever website is running the deal. Either way, for many of us, there is no reason to even stare at a TV unless a pc is hooked through to it, we are playing a game, or popping a movie in.
The world is how you make it
I think 2010 has obviously been the break away year for Internet appliances like Bluray players with Youtube/Pandora/SocialFoobar built in. If the Internet is ever going to break, it might happen this holiday season with all the extra streaming.
Maybe it IS time to get rid of free, antenna-based TV (channels 2-51) and replace it with some kind of free wireless internet service. My only fear is that it won't really be free and end-up costing me ~$25/month.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
1940's person has dinner with the radio playing Fibber McGee, Jack Benny or Fred Allen
1970's person has TV dinner, Pizza, etc., while watching Television
2000's person has dinner at their personal computer.
2010's person has dinner at their mobile laptop/device/tablet
FWIW, I stopped watching TV actively about 10 years ago (excepting World Cups) The internet is far more entertaining that TV.
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
Data: I think he means television, sir. ... That particular form of entertainment did not last much beyond the year Two Thousand Forty.
Technoli
The fun thing is to watch an entire series over the course of a month or so.
The realization that you've just watched like _7 years_ worth of programming in a month is always awesome and scary at the same time.
Also watching episode after episode, you notice things (some good, some bad) that you wouldn't if there was a week between each episode. For instance Babylon 5 gets very depressing for like 2 seasons. I didn't notice it as much when I was watching it on TV .. but you watch it back-to-back .. and it's a completely different experience.
>From my perspective, television offers no real benefit over the internet for transferring video.
Except, of course, for the lack of network congestion when 6000 people are either transfering 2.5MB/s total to watch an episode of Star Trek or 15,000 MB/S to watch one episode of Star Trek, all at the exact same moment.
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TV is irrelevant. It is a complete waste of time. I already know enough about soap and female deodorant products to last me a lifetime.
They blew it. This is a one way street. There It is really nice not having a cable bill!