Stats released in November 2008 confirm that the influence of Mass Media is declining steadily due to the Internet in general and social media is accelerating the pace.

“Peer-to-peer authority is replacing mass media on all fronts. As information sources, family and friends’ advice rose from 44% to 47% as an information source, while coworker advice went from 23% to 30%.“

From 2006 to 2008 the mass media numbers are eroding steadily while social media is rising rapidly.  This is a classic pattern.  Think ‘buggy whips’.

Magazines down from 23% ro 18%.

TV done from 71% to 65%.

The only traditional media category that rose is Cable TV News - up from 47% to 49%.

But Social Newtorking site interaction grew by 98% during the same period. 

These and many, many other interesting stats can be found here - http://www.frankwbaker.com/mediause.htm

(Source: Ketchum Global Media Network and Global Research Network partnered with the University of Southern California Annenberg Strategic Public Relations Center on this study.)

This is the continuation of a trend that started with the advent of the Web.  Newspaper readership dropped from 58% in 1998 to 52% in 2005.  That decline is accelerating.  Young people now prefer to read news online and never acquire the newspaper habit.

Personally, I never learned to appreciate newspapers.  They are bulky, dirty, and generally inconvenient.  I can read the New York Times on my laptop or iPhone much more efficiently, and easily.  I can start reading during my morning routine, and can continue whenever I have a few minutes of down time on my iPhone, or my laptop. Plus, now I can get better news from bloggers which are focused on the subjects I care about.