Internet passes radio, next to TV as 'most essential media in the U.S.'

Technology may be racing far ahead of society as a new study shows that reveals that the Internet has passed radio as the second most important media in the U.S.

Pero, for those techies and nerdy types, this is no news.

In the engaging report, published by the Edison Research.com, the findings were startling. The Internet has made enormous advances in the importance it holds for the American consumer. The Internet has passed radio as the "most essential" medium in the US.

TV is first, radio is third and newspapers are fourth. Ejole.

This has critical implications for numerous industries including radio, TV and other media, advertisers, record labels, business owners and more.

Even more startling statistics:

*"Five years later, Internet (33%) trails only television (36%). Radio dropped dramatically as "most essential" - from 26% to 17%."

*The report also indicated that for anyone below the age of 45, the Internet, more than television, is the "most essential" medium.

*Newspapers clearly 'least essential' among major medium, with 35% of Americans age 12 and older saying it is the least essential."

Entonces, what does this mean to the consumer, especially the music consumer?

It means that the affluent hip and the heady, the trendspotters and tastemakers already know the future and are taking full advantage of it.

In other news developments which should provide clues as to where the tech-savvy, afflulent herd is heading, consider these recent studies:

*This 2007 LNN report: iTunes becomes third largest music retailer in U.S., indicates that CDs are being ditched in favor of singles at an accelerated rate.

*In another Edison Research study, the weekly Online Radio Audience jumped from 11 to 13% of Americans.

*In the study: 'The Podcast Consumer Revealed 2008 ': "The audience for both audio and video podcasts has grown tremendously since last year. Americans indicating that they have ever downloaded and listened to an audio podcast grew from 13% to 18%, while video podcast consumption grew from 11% to 16%."

Coming:

More trends including the rise of professional, social and celebrity online networks on the Internet, and how the mobile telephone is becoming as the new paradigm in content delivery.

These subjects were the focus of the two panels in the "Pulso de la Musica Latina 2008: Get Your Digital Game On" seminar moderated by Ramiro Burr. It was presented by The Recording Academy®, Texas Chapter in partnership with The Latin Recording Academy® at the St. Anthony Hotel 1-5 p.m. Thursday, June 12.

A full report coming.