Roy Morgan has revealed that Kiwi media habits in the morning are shifting online, with a recent study showing that the proportion of New Zealanders accessing online media channels has surpassed those reading the newspaper or watching television.
While this shows a major move from traditional to new media, radio still remains comfortably at the top of the pile in terms of the preferred media channel, with 40.2 percent of Kiwis tuning into the airwaves.
The study, which tracked average weekday consumption habits between 2011 and 2015, shows that 29.7 percent of users now turn to their desktops, laptops, tablets and mobile phones, while 23.3 percent read the newspaper and 20.7 percent watch television.
Since 2011, newspaper consumption in the morning has remained relatively stable at around 23 percent, while television consumption has declined from 24 to 20.7 percent.
During the same period, online media consumption has ballooned from 13.2 percent to almost 30 percent, and its current trajectory suggests it is closing in on radio (which has also trended upwards from 37 percent to the current figure of 40.2 percent).
The continued strength of radio is largely due to the fact that Kiwis still tune into local radio stations when they’re in the car in the morning on the way to work. But with the growing prominence of online radio services and the proliferation of connected vehicles, car-based listening could potentially also trend online in the future.
While the data clearly shows the impact of online media, Roy Morgan’s general manager of client services for Australia and New Zealand says it isn’t all doom and gloom for traditional media channels.
“Even though internet usage has become much more common at breakfast time, traditional media have held ground,” La Rosa says.
“Many Kiwis are adding some online browsing to their regular weekday morning routines, while still turning on the TV, tuning into radio or reading the newspaper.”
La Rosa says it’s important for advertisers to be cognisant of these shifts.
“Overall, three million Kiwis aged 14+ can now be reached at breakfast. It’s clearly important that advertisers and content makers understand how media habits are changing throughout the day and, increasingly, how the rise in cross-media usage might be affecting our attentions and attitudes.”
