TouchPoints data confirms digital's rising popularity

The survey reveals that adults' internet activity on an average weekday has increased to 1.07 hours, up from 0.75 hours from the 2006 survey, while at the weekend, adults' internet activity has increased to 0.59 hours a day, up from 0.48 hours.

The internet is most heavily used for information (60% of respondents), but time spent on social networks is increasing. More than a third (36%) of 15 to 24-year-olds had visited a social networking site in the past 24 hours, and almost half (49%) had done so in the past seven days.

However, Lynne Robinson, research director at the IPA, reported that the traditional media sector has held up well. She said: "While there is a definite undercurrent towards digital, driven by 15 to 24-year-olds, but filtering through to other age groups, people seem to be consuming more media generally."

Only 8.8% of adults prefer to read their national newspaper online, and TV remains the dominant medium in terms of hours consumed, the survey found. Although there has been a slight drop in the number of hours adults spend watching TV on an average weekday (down to 3.69 hours from 3.71 hours), time spent watching TV at the weekend has risen from 4.02 hours per day to 4.29 hours.

The IPA plans to extend TouchPoints' integration with other measurement systems, such as Barb, Rajar and NRS, and to develop currency for media such as search, direct mail and mobile.

International tie-ups are also starting to emerge: the IPA is finalising a licensing partnership with a consortium of US companies, to be announced next week.

The full findings will be presented in the 8 July issue of Media Week and at mediaweek.co.uk