Internet Becoming a Daily Essential

Approximately 37 million US adults use the Internet from home on a daily basis compared to only 19 million in mid-1997, according to The Strategis Group. Strategis also estimates that adults in 34 million American households use the Internet for a total of 65 million hours per day.

In the report “Internet User Trends: Year-End 1998,” Strategis says the number of daily Internet users at work has risen from 19 million to 32 million since mid-1997.

“Clearly, the Internet has hit its stride,” said Strategis Internet consultant Jeff Moore. “The Internet has gone from being a curiosity to being a daily source for email, shopping, research, and news.”

Strategis reports estimates that 84 million Americans now use the Internet from either home or work. That’s 42 percent of the US adult population. Intelliquest estimated there were 79.4 million Americans online at the end of 1998.

Strategis’ research also found that 44 percent of Internet users spend less time watching television because of their Internet use. Americans spend 525 million hours a day watching television, according to Strategis.

“There will be an eyeball market-share war as television and Internet Web sites vie for viewership and advertising dollars,” said Elliot Hamilton, senior VP at Strategis.

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