(What do you use the internet for? photo: K. Todd Storch)
Does any of this seem like news to you?
Well, it is. While it has been coming for a while, it is now here.
“The average Canadian now spends more time on the Internet than watching television, according to a new survey from Ipsos Reid, a shift in digital habits that reflects the increasing prevalence of computers in our lives.”(*1)
“The data indicates that not only are people of all ages spending more and more time online, but it also points to a shift in how online Canadians are consuming media and where they are spending their free time.”(*1)
Sidney Eve Matrix, a media professor at Queen’s University said, “The Internet is a multimedia world. We consume our newspapers on the Web”(*1). Kaan Yigit, of Solutions Research Group, said “compared to last year, more online video use, more online TV use – and more people saying they find online more entertaining than before … the scales tipping in the Internet’s favour could be the result of more TV networks hosting their broadcasting content online, for free.”(*1)
Agreed.
For example, I watched the Olympics online at ctvolympics.ca, and I thought it was a superior experience compared to watching on normal TV. I had access to several TV channels, as well as, live feeds for all the sports(no commentary). It was very inclusive and coordinated. A type of experience that is seemingly only available online. Want to watch it on a bigger screen? No problem, plug your laptop into your bigscreen, and grab the chips.
Goodbye traditional TV, I will see you on the Internet.
Sources:
1. Canadians’ Internet use exceeds TV time, Globe and Mail, Mar.22, 2010.