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Is it TRUE? Do Black People have a high speed internet connection?

To date there has been much debate about the DIGITAL DIVIDE - one school of thought is that "WE" are online but only as consumers or parttime users of the net only at work. However it appears that this is only part of the "Black" experience online. What are your thoughts? and HOW DO YOU ACCESS the Net? DIALUP/BROADBAND-CABLE/BROADBAND-DSL/CELLPHONE-WIRELESS - Before you add your comments read the survey very interesting. Please add your voice to this conversation....... P.S. the link to the report is at the end of report.

AOL study shows blacks outpace general market in Internet use Users frustrated by lack of targeted content(October 10, 2005)

A newly released study from America Online shows that African Americans' use of the Internet outpaces the general market in many ways. According to the 2005 AOL African American Cyberstudy, conducted for AOL by IMAGES Market Research, two-thirds of online African American households have a high-speed connection vs. 53% of the general population. Nearly 80% of African Americans have access to the Internet – close to the 88% of the general population. And those African-Americans currently not online are more likely to get connected within the next 6 to 12 months.

The study also revealed that African Americans are embracing the Internet as an indispensable lifestyle tool and a tremendous resource. They report spending more time on the Internet (5 hours a day vs. 2.9 hours a day for the general online population). And they are far more likely to use the Web to access a variety of information: news (68% vs. 56%), entertainment (55% vs. 26%), health related issues (72% vs. 53%), financial questions/needs (60% vs. 40%) and sports (39% vs. 26%). Other popular activities include: using a search engine (92%), communicating with family and friends (86%), using the Internet to get driving directions (85%), opening a bank account or online banking (62%) and listening to music online (62%). In addition, 62% of African Americans feel the Internet is helpful with individual career advancement and is a useful education tool (80%) for all ages."

As we look to offer marketers with the most relevant information about online behaviors of various demographics, we are excited to announce the findings of the first African American Cyberstudy," said Michael Barrett, executive vice president, AOL Media Networks. "We are committed to provide the advertising community with new data about the changing nature of online behaviors to better serve their needs.""The study clearly demonstrates that African Americans have turned to the Internet to save time and make their lives more efficient and enjoyable," said Bret Moore, publisher of AOL Black Voices. "The Internet is truly a color-blind and equal-opportunity tool that African Americans are using in a very purposeful way to attain their goals and realize their dreams."

However, the study also found that an overwhelming number of African Americans say there isn’t enough online content that “speaks” to them as a distinct culture with its own dynamic needs and values. The survey also found that almost three-quarters (73%) of African Americans respond favorably to advertising with multiple cultures featured. And 68% favor companies that benefit the African American community.

Topline Findings -
Nearly Eight in ten African Americans surveyed are currently using the Internet – the remaining 21% are more likely than the general online population to jump on the Internet within the next 6-12 months.-

Already, 64% of African Americans online have broadband access – vs. 53% of the Total Population - African Americans are far more likely than other online users to use the Web to access a variety of information: news (68% vs. 56%), entertainment (55% vs. 26%), music (49% vs. 21%), and sports (39% vs. 26%). -

The most popular online activities among African Americans are using a search engine (92%), communicating with friends and family (86%), and getting driving directions and maps (85%).- Almost two-thirds (62%) of African Americans feel the Internet is helpful with individual career advancements.- Seventy-six percent of African Americans view the Internet as a big time-saver, saying it allows them to access large amounts of information quickly and get more things done in a day.-

African Americans spend an average of 5 hours per day on the Internet while all others spend 2.9 hours a day.- Online African Americans report they use the Internet an average of 6 days per week, compared to 5 days per week for all others.

Researching and Buying Products and Services Online - Forty-nine percent of African Americans feel the Internet is the best source of information on consumer products.- Almost three-quarters (70%) have researched an item online and subsequently purchased it in a store.Finding Relevant Information Online- Seventy-two percent of online African Americans say the need to obtain general information prompted initial use. -Fifty-four percent feel the Internet provides more information about healthcare issues important to African Americans than any other sources.

And African Americans are far more likely to turn to the Internet for healthcare-related searches than all others (64% vs. 53%). -Sixty percent believe the Internet is the best source for financial information.- The Ability to get entertainment information quickly is a big draw for African Americans (75%). -

Forty Two percent of African Americans go online to learn about new styles & fashion information. Discovering Entertainment Online - African Americans view the Internet as an entertainment medium, using it to view video clips and download music.-

Seventy-three percent of African Americans feel on-demand entertainment is an important benefit of the Internet.- Seventy-eight percent see the Internet as a time-saver allowing them to avoid waiting in line for tickets.-The most common movie-related reasons to go online are to look for a movie they may want to see (73%) and to search for a theater or movie time (68%).Using the Internet to Communicate - Eighty-six percent of African Americans use the Internet to communicate with family and friends.- Thirty percent of respondents use instant messaging occasionally or more.

Financial Goals and Management a Priority- Six in ten African Americans look for information about financial products online.- Online banking services are already widely used, with 71% of African Americans indicating it’s their leading online financial activity.- Forty-six percent are likely to start or increase their investment practices in the near future.-

Online African Americans earning $100K or more are significantly more likely to track their investments or stock portfolio online.Automotive Information and Buying-African Americans are more likely than all others to cite the Internet as the best source of information for automotive-related issues (63% vs. 44%). -

Researching different vehicle types (62%) was the most common reason for automotive-related Internet usage.- Slightly more than half (52%) have used the Internet to price shop new cars.- Over one-third (37%) of African Americans plan to purchase a new or used car in the next 12 months compared to 22% of all others.Getting Going Starts with Going Online- African Americans are avid travelers: 2/3 of African Americans have traveled domestically in the past 12 months.-

African Americans are more likely than all others to report the Internet as the best source of travel-related information (79% vs. 73%).

MethodologyThe 2005 AOL African American Cyberstudy conducted by IMAGES Market Research comprises three phases.

In the first Qualitative Phase, focus groups were conducted among African Americans with a home ISP in three cities, Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta. Six focus groups contributed, with participants in two age groups, 18-34 year-olds(3) and 35-54 year-olds(3).

The Quantitative Phase followed in May 2005 with a web survey of 1,016 African American Internet users.

A simultaneous study of 550 phone interviews was also conducted to obtain comparative perspective (300 African American sample and 250 general market (GM) sample). The web survey portion was done using a national database of African American panel members. An invitation e-mail was sent to their address and respondents were given a link to access the survey. A combination of RDD (Random Digit Dialing) and African American listed sample was used for the telephone portion of the study. A Two-Step Cluster Analysis procedure was applied to the 1,016 online completed surveys of African Americans who have online service providers. The resulting four clusters are psychographic groupings that represent respondents who participated in the web survey. America Online, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. IMAGES Market Research is a full service multicultural marketing communications company headquartered in Atlanta http://www.targetmarketnews.com/storyid10100501.htm

posted by Techman @ 8:38 AM