A puzzle for the media and their advertisers

The issue taps patterns of press, television and radio in France: how to understand the use of media by youth Compulsive users of the Internet and the mobile phone, the latter introduced a revolution, whose rules are not all. While their elders consume media in a sequential manner: a day is 24 hours and there is a time for radio, one for the reading of the press, for television, their children have invented the cumulative consumption of several media at the same time. According to the barometer Médiamétrie, 71 of 16-20 years reported being in contact with several media at the same time. This may disrupt any notion of duration media time increased strongly in one day but also all the traditional curves of hearing and therefore all advertising strategies. A puzzle for the media and their advertisers.

In an attempt to see clearer, the media KR media agency conducted a study called "The new relationship media," the age of concurrency Assumption of basis for Olivier Goulet, Director of expertise and research at KR media "it had to conduct a survey of 15-25 years in their home." We filmed the behaviour of these young people in a situation, then we submitted these videos to sociologists. "The result is surprising for those who do not have the chance to have a teenager at home. That obscure object of study is locked in his room, consult the web sites on the Internet "chat" with friends on MSN Messenger, while listening to the radio. And, if we look closer, we discover his mobile phone within 20 centimetres of him. Olivier Goulet, is the simplest behaviour: "of the consumption of main media with media of add-in for a sound environment, a background noise." Why are they doing this The spontaneous response of the surveyed youth: need to fill the silence.

"Of the multitasking brains."

A little anxiety, young people are not very systematic. The evidence The followers of said behavior of "thematic extension", according to the formula of KR media are capable, on the same subject of interest generally sport to use many media simultaneously. A true virtuoso number.

KR media filmed a video session that says a lot. Apartment in colocation, two students are engaged in a rite of a new genus. The television is on in the room, it broadcasts a sports show. One of the two students moved on the couch, turns on his laptop computer and the time that it connects on a sports Internet site, it consults the log (paper) "The team". Expert, information he required in a few seconds, there the confronted with those on the Net and takes a look at the television. Of course, the radio spread music room. Aurélien, because this is the name of this student methodical, then explained at length. It is capable of digging information about all the media, knowing exactly where to look. The goal to manufacture its own newspaper "real-time" information on his favorite subject: the sport. Television, press, internet and radio at the same time! Important lesson for Olivier Goulet: "no media now holds the exclusivity of the information but all involved." "They are complementary. So additional Aurélien has this note "I still have one ear on TV!" In the future, it should also have "an eye on his mobile phone.

Charged by the Minister of youth, Jean-François Lamour, reflect on the consequences of the digital youth, Jean-Pierre Cottet, President of the Lagardère Media pole, believes that "their brains have become multi-tasking: they handle the mobile, television and the PC at the same time."

Within a generation, have the human brain mutated to become capable of managing several information at the same time, the image of a PC with multiple Windows on a single screen Sociologists believe that the generation "video game" has, indeed, a surprising capacity for juggling.

This frantic pursuit of "multiple stimuli" affects some young victims of the so-called "media addiction" attitude, according to KR media. In this case, the use of several media at the same time responds to no logic, no research. It is a simple hobby, entertainment, comparable to the pleasure of the parents who zappent of a string to another on their television. Their adolescent Pecks an image on television, a sound on the radio, an exchange of e-mail on the Internet, a sentence on a magazine. Not logic, little attention to media in particular.

But parents are reassuring. If they do not suréquipent the home of digital products, if they inspire a real conversation with their children, they have not necessarily need to switch in simultaneous use. Many young people studied by KR media expressed their lack of interest in this type of practice.

KR media conclusion: simultaneous media consumption is amplified by the multi-équipement of the homes, free content and unfortunately "redundancy and lightness" of the contents. No need to mobilize all its synapses to understand a television series or information passing loop.

How, in this background noise, imposing its media or advertising message According to Olivier Goulet, do more against the media, but combine them and organize references between them to be sure of achieving its target.