An oldie but a goodie

36 percent of all entertainment is consumed on computers, according to Netpop Research, whose recent findings underscore the central role of the PC as a primary access point for entertainment, reports MarketingCharts.

Teens and adults (those age 13-34) with broadband connections now spend more time in front of computers than watching blockbuster movies or reading novels and fashion magazines, the study found.

In a typical month, according to Netpop, content consumed on desktop and laptop computers is responsible for…

• 30 percent of all entertainment time spent listening to audio content, including music, podcasts and recorded books
• 48 percent of all entertainment time spent watching video content, such as TV shows, full-length film and short videos
• 37 percent of all entertainment time spent reading print content, including newspapers, magazines and books

"Increasingly, the medium is no longer the message for entertainment content," said Josh Crandall, managing director of Media-Screen LLC, the creator of Netpop.

"Communitainment," the social activities that support online entertainment content, also is on the rise among Internet users, Netpop said.

Among 13-34-year-olds, 60 percent regularly engage in at least one of the communitainment activities measured in the study, spending an average of 78 minutes per weekday. Those activities include interactive activities such as posting comments about a favorite TV show or recommending a new album to a friend.

"Social media add an entirely new dimension to entertainment content, extending and deepening fan engagement," added Crandall. "Now is the time for companies to begin experimenting with product placements and sponsorships. Advertising that has traditionally been designed to interrupt consumers from what they are involved with at the time are less effective — and potentially damaging, in fact — to brands in social media environments."