Web media is the dominant at-work media (with 54.6 percent reach, compared with television's 21.1 percent) and is second in the home (after TV) - and it is also the first-ranked daytime media - writes CNET, citing an Online Publishers Association (OPA) report (pdf) based on research by Ball State University's Center for Media Design. The research found that the web increased the reach of television by a remarkable 51 percent in the morning, 39 percent in the middle of the day, and 42 percent in the afternoon. According to a conservative estimate from the study, overall 17 percent of media is consumed via the internet.

Moreover, heavy web users' retail spending averaged $26,450, whereas the TV-dominant group's spending averaged $21,401, according to the study, which used Census Bureau data to extrapolate the figures. MediaPost writes that heavy web users spent an estimated average of $3,281 on entertainment and recreation, compared with $2,626 for heavy TV watchers

For out-of-home food spending, heavy web users spent an average of $3,803 annually, compared with the TV group's $3,102. For travel, average estimated annual spending among heavy Web users totaled $1,870, compared with $1,501 for heavy TV users.

Between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., the potential reach for advertisers was 44 percent if newspaper consumption (17 percent) were combined with web consumption, according to CNET's piece; for magazines (7 percent), the combined reach would be 39 percent; and for TV (44 percent), the reach would increase to 62 percent.

The OPA study also found a direct correlation between offline referrals to websites and traffic increases to those sites. For example, when PBS listeners are told they can find more information on PBS.org, they go to the site.