Deloitte: Millennials love computers more than TV

Posted by Erina Lin on January 12, 2009 at 7:26 PM

According to a recent survey by Deloitte, people between ages 14 to 25 think of computers as more of an entertainment device than they do televisions, World Screen reported.

The survey, called State of the Media Democracy, stated that people in the Millennial generation also belong to a "global early-adopter generation."

Among all the age groups, Millennials are the most active on gaming, music and online socializing - 80 percent search, download and listen to music online, while 73 percent socialize on the Internet. Also, 59 percent use mobile phones as an entertainment device, compared to 33 percent of all respondents.

Millennials also spend one-third less time on TV than other demographics, World Screen reported.

The study stated that Millennials are influencing the evolution of digital content, as well as technology in general, on a broad, international scale.

"This generation of consumers was the first to be raised on the Internet and is united across borders and cultures by their digital media preferences, so the implications for global marketers are unprecedented," said Ed Moran, Deloitte's director of product innovation, according to the report.

"The growing influence of Millennials is clear: they are influencing both the industry landscape and the media consumption habits of other generations. What is less clear is the degree to which Millennial spending power will ebb with the economic sea change we're experiencing. Boomers (ages 43 to 61) already possess more discretionary income than any other generation. While marketers have always been aware of the Boomers' importance, focus on this age cohort may well increase on a relative basis in the future, significantly reworking the traditional marketing script," said Ken August, Deloitte's vice chairman and U.S. media and entertainment leader, according to World Screen.

The third edition of State of the Media Democracy survey assessed more than 8,800 consumers ages 14 to 75 in Brazil, Germany, Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom. Topics covered include online and offline advertising, user-generated content and mobile entertainment, World Screen reported.