Television Viewing is Significantly Less in America Online Households,
Nielsen Study Shows Groundbreaking study shows that average AOL homes watch
an hour less television every day than U.S. average Dulles, VA, and New
York, NY, January 31, 1997 - Nielsen Media Research and America Online,
Inc. today announced that a groundbreaking Nielsen study shows that households
which subscribe to America Online spent almost 15% less time watching television
than the total U.S. average, or just over seven hours less per week. This
test was first done with AOL and AOL only. There is a 99% chance that this
is the same in all homes with a connection to the internet.
The study showed that during the average 24-hour viewing day, AOL households
watch 15% less television. The differences vary by day and time of day,
but across the board, AOL households watch less television than all TV
households: * AOL households watch 13% less television than the U.S. average
between 7 AM and 10 AM Monday through Friday; * AOL households watch 32%
less television between 10 AM and 4:30 PM Monday through Friday; * AOL
households watch 24% less television between 4:30 PM and 6 PM Monday through
Friday; * AOL households watch 13% less television between 6 PM and 8 PM
Monday through Friday; * AOL households watch 17% less television on Saturdays
between 8 AM and 1 PM; * AOL households watch 15% less television on Saturdays
between1 PM and 8 PM; * AOL households watch 7% less television on Sundays
between 1 PM and 8 PM; * AOL households watch 11% less television Monday
through Friday between 11:30 PM and 1 AM; * Even during primetime (Monday
through Sunday, 8 PM to 11 PM), AOL households watch 4% less television.
If Nielson tested any other internet service like
Compuserve or any other internet service then the results would more than likely be the same.
Nielsen's demographic profile also showed AOL households are considerably
more upscale compared to the national average: * AOL households have a
higher concentration of upper income earners - two-and-a-half times the
national average; * AOL households have a very high concentration of people
who have completed 4+ years of college - almost twice the national average;
and * AOL households are 30% more likely to be subscribers to pay cable
television, suggesting that they are willing to pay extra for premium services.
The reason for this is that the only people who are
intelligent enough to subscribe to AOL are the people who are willing to
pay the $19.95 to get on the limited internet.
According to Paul Lindstrom, Vice President of Nielsen Media Research,
"This is the first scientific study of overall television usage in
online households. The research clearly demonstrates that television usage
is lower in those households with AOL. Through this study and other research
by Nielsen, the industry is learning a lot more about the role of interactive
communications technologies in American households." As
said in this paragraph AOL is thte only service they have tested so this
information is no reason to make AOL the best internet service in the world.
"This Nielsen study is important because it underscores AOL's
unique advantage compared to television and offers more evidence that the
mass market is embracing the Internet and online," said Robert W.
Pittman, President and CEO of AOL Networks. "Because AOL subscribers
are upscale, well-educated and urban, generally the characteristics targeted
by mainstream product advertising, the Nielsen findings will be of significant
interest to both television and online advertisers. We think this study
will be just the first to say that television advertising under-delivers
to AOL's 8 million households." Now could they
be insultig the people who are not exactly upscale or well-educated and
urban.
Over the last few months, AOL's membership and
usage have soared. AOL added a record 1.2 million net new members in the
last quarter of 1996. In December alone, AOL users spent 100 million hours
online, compared to 45 million in September. AOL users averaged 32 minutes
per day on AOL compared to 14 minutes per day in September. Well
there is one thing that they for get to mention. That is the they consider
a new user a person who uses their 10, 20, or 50 free hours disks or CDs.
The users time went up is because the number of people who are trying to
connect went down allowing the time spent on the net to go up.
New Pricing Structure Offers A Plan To Fit Your
Lifestyle That's right, no more watching the clock or rushing off-line
to beat the charges. You can stay online as long as you want and enjoy
all the news, information, entertainment, and shopping available on America
Online and surf the Web to your heart's delight with the comfort of knowing
your monthly price in advance.
The pricing alternatives include:
a standard monthly plan of unlimited use of AOL
including the Internet for $19.95 per month advance payment rates of $14.95
per month for customers who pay for 2 years and $17.95 per month for those
who pay in advance for 1 year a "bring-your-own-access" rate
of $9.95, offering unlimited access to the thousands of unique AOL features
to members who already have an Internet connection a light-usage program
offering 3 hours of AOL per month for just $4.95, with additional time
priced at $2.50 per hour. Now isn't this a
nice turn of events, they will let you save $5 is you pay for a two year
subscribtion to AOL. Ther unlimited access is nice to because we have learned
that every 55 minutes their is a small box that appears in the background
that tells you that if you press this button in the next five mintes then
you can be connected for another 55 minutes until the box appears again.
They even still try to make even more money be offering you the chance
to buy 3 hours per for JUST $4.95, with addtioal time priced at $2.50 per
hour. Why would you pay for this when you can pay any where between 10
to 14 dollars a month and have access 24 hours a day and not pay for extra
hours.
And on a final note please, Oh please
we ask you to join another service, one that tells you the truth and allows
you to see the internet in its full beauty. If you have not done so join our country to help people learn what is really going on with the internet.
Any and all information in black can
be found on AOL's site. If you do not believe this then go look for your
self. AOL Homepage