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Residents spending more time on Internet: survey [Gulf Times (Qatar)]
[December 08, 2013]

Residents spending more time on Internet: survey [Gulf Times (Qatar)]


(Gulf Times (Qatar) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Qatar's residents are now spending more time using the Internet than they are watching television, with a resounding 93% of respondents in an online survey answering that they access the Internet daily as opposed to 58% of participants watching TV on a daily basis. Agency 222, an integrated advertising and communications agency, has announced select results of "State of the Net" - an online survey launched to get a better understanding of the current digital consumer in Qatar and their attitudes and intentions towards digital and other media. The research saw 580 Qataris and expatriates take part in an online survey with data collected from October 3 to 20. On an average day, 78% of respondents answered to spending three hours or more per day using the Internet. Social networking, chatting and instant messaging were among the most popular online activities.   Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter dominate social media growth in Qatar. Among Qatari participants, WhatsApp and Instragram are the most popular social media applications. The survey found that Qatar residents have a heavy reliance on the Internet and would do almost anything to have access to it. Nearly one in three participants (30%) was willing to give up fast food for one year to be allowed to access the Internet, while a quarter was willing to give up smoking cigarettes and shisha  or shopping for non-essential items (mentioned by 24% and 23%, respectively).      The survey shows that the Internet is accessed from all locations both inside and outside the home. Survey participants reported to access the Internet from the most private corners of the home, with 70% accessing it from the bedroom and 15% from the bathroom. A quarter of Qatari participants (26%) also access the Internet from the majlis.    Internet usage is unrivalled from 10am to 6pm with the highest consumption out of all other media outlets between these times. Also, more Qatar residents are relying on online sources of news, with this being the most popular online content - 72% of participants consume news content online daily or at least a couple of times each week. The survey revealed that traditional forms of media still rival the Internet at key times and within certain demographics. Radio and newspaper consumption is at its highest in the morning with radio experiencing a slight increase again during afternoon drive-time.   Additionally, 81% of newspaper readers read a newspaper daily or a couple of times each week. Residents of Qatar with college education are 7% more likely to read a newspaper than the general population (45% for general population, 52% for degree holders). Magazine readership remains consistent as 70% of participants read a magazine at least once a month or more frequently, and 80% of females read magazines monthly. Newspaper or magazine reviews are considered to be more influential on purchase decisions than TV advertisements, social media or outdoor ads. The influence of print media continues to be significant. Hussein Fakhri, CEO of Agency 222, concluded: "There is no denying that digital now plays a hugely important and influential role in the daily media consumption habits of Qatar. However, print is still powerful among specific age groups, so the facts tell us that we shouldn't dismiss print but instead ensure that it goes hand in hand with other advertising and communications channels. This is why, at Agency 222, we keep pushing clients to try new media, different approaches and innovative activations." (c) 2013 Gulf Times Newspaper Provided by Syndigate.info, an Albawaba.com company



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