The Internet has become increasingly important to U.S. consumers seeking a medium for information and entertainment, approaching the level of television as "most essential," according to the "Internet and Multimedia 2007" report by Edison Media Research and Arbitron, reports MarketingCharts.

Some 33 percent of consumers age 12 and older, asked to choose the "most essential" medium in their life, selected the internet, just behind television (36 percent), but ahead of radio (17 percent) and newspapers (10 percent).

Five year earlier, the internet trailed TV by a significant margin (20 percent vs. 39 percent) and also trailed radio (26 percent).

The internet already leads television among those age 12-17, 18-24, 25-34, and 35-44. Only above age 45 do any age groups still put television in first place.

"It is not a stretch to say that the Internet has become just as important as television as an important source of information and entertainment in the lives of Americans," said Larry Rosin, president of Edison Media Research. "It is entirely possible that the Internet will lead in all positive categories five years from now."

MarketingCharts offers up more findings and charts from the study.