Circles within circles: study says media trends will blur commercial and creative
The future of magazines -- may lie in understanding the longer-term trends among younger readers (consumers, though I hate that word). International research carried out on behalf of cellphone maker Nokia suggests that over the next five years, entertainment will be created, edited and shared within peer groups, rather than being delivered by traditional media providers. It's been dubbed "Circular Entertainment". As self-serving as the research is for Nokia, nevertheless what it talks about is food for thought among editors and publishers who want to know where their audiences are going.
The study identified four key trends:
The research was carried out last summer by UK consultants The Future Laboratory and called A Glimpse of the Next Episode. It was based on questioning 9,000 cellphone users aged 16 to 35 (not restricted to Nokia) in 17 countries. It was augmented by in-depth conversations with experts chosen from the areas of radio, internet, gaming, device developments, mobile telecoms, music, computing, legislation and marketing.
Of the 9,000 respondents, it was found that
The study identified four key trends:
- Immersive Living. The reality of being on and offline will be blurred and entertainment will no longer be segmented; people can access and create it wherever they are.
- Geek Culture. The boundaries between being commercial and creative will also blur; consumers will want to be recognized and rewarded.
- G Tech. The so-called "feminization" of technology will mean that entertainment will be more collaborative, democratic, emotional and customized.
- Localism. Consumers will take pride in seeking out the local and the home-grown.
Of the 9,000 respondents, it was found that
- 23% buy movies in digital format
- 35% buy music on MP3 files
- 25% buy music on mobile devices
- 39% watch TV on the internet
- 23% watch TV on mobile devices
- 46% regularly use IM, 37% on a mobile device
- 29% regularly blog
- 28% regularly access social networking sites
- 22% connect using technologies such as Skype
- 17% take part in Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games
- 17% upload to the internet from a mobile device
Labels: research
posted by D. B. Scott at
1:35 pm
3 Comments:
I've tried several magazine's websites on my phone's browser and only a few are readable. None detected that I was on a phone and offered me a mobile format site, and most are so image based that I could only find a few links to click on. Banks have had mobile sites for years. I think Canada is about to see another wave of information euphoria as phone screens get bigger and offer higher resolution (many available already) mobile network speeds increase and costs for phone surfing drop. (It's happening.) There are opportunities for "content providers" who assemble useful information for on the go, e.g., recipes and ingredient lists or restaurant reviews with maps.
P.S. I also hate using "consumers." I try for readers and use "citizens" as much as I can.
Can anyone tell me what the "G" in G Tech stands for?!
I think the G is a not-too-clever play on the term G-spot, referring to the seat of sexual pleasure for women. But I could be wrong.
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