It's the little pleasures

The 2008 Mendelsohn Affluent Survey reveals affluent consumers — those with incomes of over six figures — read print publications just as much as they did five years ago: about 15 per week, reports Ad Age.

The same demographic also listens less to the radio and spends far less time in front of televisions (18.6 hours vs. 23.7 hours in '03). They do, however, spend 22.1 hours a week online, up from the 10.7 hours reported five years ago.

Across the population, TV tops the 'net as a favored news source, but daily online news use has increased by about a third since 2006, and common users tend to be both young and affluent. Gen Y has also managed to maintain surprisingly high levels of magazine consumption.

"Readership has held its own among the affluent segment," said Ted D'Amico, senior VP-research, Ipsos Mendelsohn, explaining affluent consumers tend to be more educated and — surprise! — allocate more discretionary spend to magazines than the rest of the populace.

Of all print publications, favorites among survey respondents include People, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, Time, Newsweek and Southern Living.

From 1997 to 2007, the number of magazines targeting affluent consumers grew from 90 to 456, a fivefold increase, Mediapost observed last year.