Online on the Rise in Europe

 

Total media consumption increased throughout Europe in the past year; the Internet made the highest gains. A survey conducted by SPA and Synovate for the European Interactive Advertising Association reports a 17 percent increase in Internet usage over last year.

While online grew by 17 percent as a media channel since 2004, the increase since 2003 totals 56 percent. Other media channels have increased by a lesser margin. Since 2004, TV viewing increased six percent; radio went up 14 percent; newspapers grew 13 percent; and magazines saw a seven percent decrease in consumption.

Europeans spend an average 10 hours 15 minutes per week online. Twenty-four percent of those surveyed spend over 16 hours per week. Broadband brings the number of users on the Web over 16 hours a week up to 31 percent.

Though Nordic countries have traditionally been identified as the most advanced Internet users, French consumers spend the most time online each week, logging about 13 hours. About 32 percent of French Internet users spend over 16 hours online per week. The U.K. and Spain average 11 hours, and Nordic and Benelux countries spend an average 10 hours per week on the Internet.

European Online Usage, September and October 2005
Country	Hours Spent Online Per Week	Spend More Than 16 Hours a Week Online (%)
France	13	32
U.K.	11	25
Spain	11	24
Nordics	10	23
Benelux	10	21
Germany	9	25
Italy	8	15
Source: The European Interactive Advertising Association, 2005

Time spent online amounts to media consumed. Twenty-nine percent of Internet users polled download music at least once a month. Thirteen percent regularly contribute to online blogs. Monthly podcast (define) downloads are conducted by 12 percent of Europe’s Internet users. Voice over IP (VoIP) is popular with 10 percent of consumers.

The research resulted from a poll of 7,000 random telephone interviews with 1,000 respondents in the U.K., Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Nordic countries. The data also include 500 respondents in Belgium and the Netherlands. Interviews were conducted between September and October of 2005.