The Airline Edition -- Mobile Media Consumer Report

So what medium leads mobile media consumption on air travel. A VERY preliminary analysis suggests that magazines are #1 in mobile media consumption amongst air travelers. This was based on just two airplane trips I took on October 29, 2009, and November 2, 2009. It was a roundtrip on JetBlue from LaGuardia to Fort Lauderdale. On the first leg, I analyzed media consumption during the trip (not counting JetBlue's famed in-seat TV screens, which is on at every seat that I saw) and on the return leg, I analyzed media consumption in at the gate. I did not measure computer usage. And at the gate area, I did not measure cell phone activity.

Magazines were the dominant medium that I observed by carefully walking the entire aisle of the plane and the gate area. I attribute this to the ubiquity of colorful and attractive magazine newsstands in the airport, and the ease of portability and use. iPod usage was surprisingly low, dipping to 8% of media consumption at the gate. After all, who wants to be listening to your iPod and miss an announcement that your flight is boarding? Blackberry usage and magazine reading led all media consumption at the gate, clocking in at 29%.

Here are the mobile media consumption stats for the two flights:

Magazines 32%
Books 27%
iPods 16%
Blackberry 13%
Newspapers 10%
Video games 1%
DVD players 1%

iPod Usage Surges Among Mobile Media Consumers in Oct.

For the month of October, 2009, iPod usage among mobile media consumers in Manhattan continued to rise. 39% of Gotham commuters on Manhattan's R, N or W lines (the line I take to/fr work) were spotted using their iPods or iPhones during their underground trek. That was up 2% from September. Newspaper consumption had the steepest fall-off of 3%. Magazines also posted a strong 2% uptick of 2%, rising from 4% in September to 6% in October. Books remain steady and strong, generating 22% of mobile media consumption for the months of both September and October.

iPod usage in the morning captured 34% of all mobile media consumption. In the afternoon it spiked to 45%. Only 3% of Manhattan mobile media consumers were spotted using their Blackberries in the morning. But it the afternoon, usage almost tripled to 8% of all mobile media consumption for the month of October.

Here are the stats for the month:

iPods/iPhones 39%
Newspapers 25%
Books 22%
Magazines 6%
Blackberries 5%
Videogames 2%
E-Readers 1%

Mobile Media Consumption for the Week of Oct. 25, 2009

No surpise here but iPods continue to rule among Manhattan commuters. Nearly half of all Gotham commuters (45% to be exact) consuming media were spotted using their iPods (or iPhones). This was down slightly from 48% last week, but it still is a hefty bit of mobile media consumption. Books reading rose to 25% of mobile consumption, up from last week's still-healthy 19%. Newspapers are holding relatively steady at 17% of mobile media consumption, powered largely by the free giveaways (look for a special report soon on mobile newspaper consumption).

Here are the breaks for the week:

iPods 45%
Books 25%
Newspapers 17%
Magazines 6%
Blackberry 5%
Videogames 3%

iPhones Post Strong Gains in Mobile Usage for Week of Oct. 19

With its strongest showing since the week of Sept. 7, iPod usage among New York City mobile commuters garnered a whopping 48% of all mobile media consumption in the subway. That was second only to the iPod usage during the week of Sept. 7. Newspaper reading among mobile media consumers dropped to 19% for the week of Oct. 19, down from 27% the week before. Books are holding steady with roughly one in five mobile media consumers on the R, N or W trains preferring the the long form media to relieve the drudgery of the underground slog. On the afternoon trains, not surprisingly, newspaper reading sinks while iPod usage rises.

Here's the weekly scorecard:

iPods 48%
Newspapers 19%
Books 19%
Magazines 7%
Blackberries 7%
Videogames 1%

iPods #1 for Mobile Media Consumption for the Week of Oct. 12, 2009

iPods continued to rank as medium of choice among New York City subway commuters. 33% of mobile media consumers of Gotham subway riders on the R or N lines were spotted using iPods (or iPhones). Newspapers ranked #2 (again) with 27% of mobile media consumption. Books posted a strong week, coming in with 26% of all mobile media consumption (up from 22% in the month of September).

Newspapers dominated the morning with 35% of mobile media consumption. Those freebies are too hard to resist for commuters. But the afternoon belongs to the iJunkies with 38% of mobile consumers tethered to their devices.

Not one e-reader was spotted this week. There were many instances of video game usage, but it was predominantly on iPhones and iPods.

Here's the overall breakdown for the week:

iPods 33%
Newspapers 27%
Books 26%
Blackberries 7%
Magazines 6%
Videogames 1%
e-Readers 0%

Mobile Media Consumption for the Week of Oct. 5, 2009

The trend is clear. Or should I shay, "The i-Trend is clear." iPod usage looks the the preferred choice of mobile media consumption for New York City subway riders in 2009. Unless a $99 e-reader comes along with color screen, iPod usage looks very strong among Manhattan's mobile commuters. For the week of Oct. 2, 2009, iPod consumption garnered 35% of all mobile media consumption followed (closely) by newspaper reading. Book reading remains strong at 21%. These are the big three of subway mobile consumers.

Newspaper usage in the morning soared this week to 44%, outstripping even iPod usage. I spotted one e-reader this week. I continue to see a lot of video game usage, but it's almost exclusively on iPods.

One more important development. I bought an i-Phone Oct. 3. But I'm too busy taking notes to consume media during my commute.

Here's the breakdown for the week:

iPods 35%
Newspapers 30%
Books 21%
Magazines 7%
Blackberries 6%
Videogames 1%
e-Readers 1%

Mobile Media Consumption for the Week of Sept. 28, 2009

Once again, New York City subway commuters preferred iPods and iPhones as their mobile medium of choice. iP usage garnered almost 40% of all mobile media consumption, the most I've seen since I've been tracking. Magazine reading more than doubled from the previous week, snaring 13% of all mobile media consumption (up from 6% the week before). Newspaper reading continues to be three times as strong in the morning (30% of mobile media consumption vs a mere 9% in the afternoon). And books remain fairly constant in the morning/afternoon commutes with about a quarter of all mobile media consumption.

It's also worth noting that I spotted another e-reader on the afternoon commute of September 27. While it is statistically insignificant, it's definitely worth noting.

Here's the full-day story for the week of September 28.

iPod/MP-3 39%
Newspaper 21%
Books 25%
Magazine 13%
Blackberry 2%

iPods, Newspapers Rule in September for Mobile Use

The results are in for the first monthly tabulation of mobile media consumption in New York. iPod usage by Manhattan's mobile media consumers riding the R and N trains to and from Queens posted a strong 37% of all mobile media consumption. In the warm weather, it's relatively easy to spot an iPod-toting user but when people are bundled in scarfs and down jackets with bulky hoods it will be a challenge. Newspaper reading was also strong, although it must be said that most of the newspaper readers I spotted were scanning the free dailies. Almost a quarter of all mobile media users had their heads buried in books, which makes them the world's smartest commuters or the most stupid for not paying for attention to the dangers of subterranean NY. Below are the detailed results:

iPods 37%
Newspapers 28%
Books 22%
Blackberries 6%
Magazines 4%
Videogames 2%
e-Readers 1%

Mobile Media Consumption Results for the Week of Sept. 21

iPod usage continued to rule. More than third of Gotham mobile media consumption users were spotted tethered to their Apple electronic candy. It tracked strong than the previous week. Newspaper reading among mobile media consumers also remained strong with well over a quarter of media consumers spotted leafing through their dailies. Newspaper consumption (naturally) soared in the morning with 37% of all mobile media consumers toting a newspaper. It dropped to 17% in the PM commute. Books continue to trend well with about a fifth of all mobile media consumers spending time with their books. It's work noting another e-reader was spotted. In the afternoon, iPod usage skyrockets; it was at 49% of all mobile media consumption.

Here at the full day totals:

iPod/MP-3 39%
Newspaper 28%
Books 19%
Magazine 6%
Blackberry 5%
Video Games 1%

Report for Week of Sept. 21 -- First Kindle Spotted

This was the first week I spotted a subway rider reading on a Kindle. Mark the date: September 16, 2009. I also spotted my first Kindle reader on the beach yesterday (Jones Beach, NY). The wave is forming.

Mobile media consumption for the week showed a sharp increase in magazine reading. but iPod usage remained the leading form of mobile consumption, coming in at nearly a third of all mobile media consumption activities. Newspaper consumption in the morning is high and overall a fifth of NY's mobile media consumers read newspapers during the past week. It tails off in the afternoon.



Media Consumption for Week of Sept. 14, 2009
iPod/MP-3 30%
Books 24%
Newspaper 21%
Magazine 15%
Blackberry 7%
Video Game 1%
e-reader 1%

Mobile Media Consumption Report for Week of Sept. 7, 2009

iPod usage posted a strong 41% of all mobile media consumption observed on the Manhattan R train for the week of Sept. 7, 2009. Newspaper usage ranked as the second most consumed media among Gotham straphangers with 25% of all mobile media consumption followed by books which registered 20% of share. Magazine gained over the previous week (from 4% to 7%). Blackberry usage remained low at a surprising 5%.

First Report for the Week of Aug. 31, 2009

Newspapers led all sectors for week one of the Mobile Media Consumption Report. 37% of Manhattan subway travelers were spotted reading newspapers. iPod usage accounted for 23% of mobile media consumption, followed by books reading (18%), Blackberry usage (12%) and magazine reading (4%). The biggest surprise to me: video game playing. It captured 5% of all mobile media consumption.

In the morning commute, newspaper consumption rose to 37% and iPod usage surged to 26%. Newspaper consumption dropped to 32% in the afternoon commute but books and videogames all posted gains.

The premiere of this blog on mobile media consumption on public transit (well...one NY subway line for now) coincides with the publication in The New York Times on September 6 of Alexis Mainland's fine article about what New Yorkers read on the subway. (It's very print focused....not that there's anything wrong with that!)

Media Consumption week of Aug. 31

Newspaper 31%
Magazines 4%
Books 19%
iPod/iPhone/MP3 Players 24%
Blackberry 8%
Videogames 4%