The list typed out below are the various media outlets I use when in need of entertainment, news or if I want to socialize.
Entertainment: Yahoo!, Kidd Kraddick, YouTube, EVO (phone) Applications,Internet, T.V., Movies(Netflix mostly), Facebook
News: Yahoo!, Internet, T.V., Kidd Kraddick, KTRE, E-mail, Word of mouth
Social: Facebook, Texting/Calling
As you can see some of the things I listed showed up more than once. I believe that has happened because media is consolidating. For example, Yahoo! is now not only a place that you can send and receive E-mails. Now, Yahoo! provides news and it also allows one to chat with other Yahoo! members.
Currently, what is trending is to constantly keep up to date with others statuses, whereabouts and life in general while those same people are also viewing your statuses, whereabouts and life in general. This is where social networking like Facebook and Twitter come into play. These social networking sites allows you to become a total creeper, but honestly, that seems to be what the trend is! Personally, I do not use Twitter because I actually do not want to hear about how your various health problems are acting up or how your boyfriend/girlfriend is treating you like dirt. However, I do use Facebook but do not receive alerts on my phone.
After deciphering the blog readings Mr. Patterson posted for us to read, I noticed a few statistics that really caught my eye. Therefore, I would like to expand on said statistics.
– Search engines are playing a substantially larger role in people’s news gathering habits — 33% regularly use search engines to get news on topics of interest, up from 19% in 2008. (Pew, “Americans Spending More Time Following the News,” 2009)
* This statistic is very believable and is one that I actively take part in. Daily, if not weekly, we hear a breaking news story and will instantly go to Yahoo!, Google, Bing, etc… to find out the full story because it is quick and simple to type in a key word and find various sites to check out what happened.
– Most Facebook and Twitter users say they hardly ever or never get news there. (Pew, “Americans Spending More Time Following the News,” 2009)
* Facebook and Twitter was meant for social networking not news gathering. Typically, people want their news from a trusted source rather than from gossip.
– Online usage is relatively flat since last year, though more people are viewing video online than ever before. Certain age groups also view online video more than others do – Adults 18-24 watch more than 5 hrs each month vs. Adults 65+ watching just over 1 hr of online video. (Nielsen, “Three Screen Report: Media Consumption,” 2009)
* Millennials (ages 13-24) have grown up in an age where viewing videos is entertaining. Whereas, adults 65+ had to come up with their own entertainment. So of course this statistic would show the vast difference in video viewing. Although, I am a little bit shocked that the 65+ age group would watch online videos at all.
– More than 40% of online video is viewed at the workplace. Workers sitting in their offices for 40 hours a week do spend a bit of that time surfing the Internet. (Nielsen, “Future Trends in Media,” 2009)
* How many times have we been sitting at work and needed a break? How many time have we been sitting at work and needed a Facebook, Twitter, YouTubeYahoo!, etc… break? Typically, we veer off from an important task to see if anyone has posted on our new picture, video or status. Why do we do this? Any thoughts? I have noticed several people have succumbed to watching hilarious videos while on the job and, honestly, I don’t see the harm. Yes, if the worker is constantly watching videos or checking their social sites rather than committing to the task hand then of course this is a problem. However, if the worker is merely just wanting to take a break from a long and drawn out day then what’s the harm?
{A. Rains} 