A NEW study has uncovered the changing media consumption habits of Cairns residents.
A Compass Research survey of 500 people measured usage of newspapers, television, radio, local magazines and the internet.
It also looked at how residents consumed different mediums and how useful they found them for advertising messages.
Among the key findings were:
Online usage has encroached into evening television viewing with high peaks occurring at similar times to peaks in evening television viewing.
All local commercial television channels have decreased reach into the Cairns population on weekdays and weekends while online usage has increased in reach across weekdays and weekends.
All local commercial radio stations decreased reach into the Cairns population from the previous year with the exception of Hot FM. which indicated an increase of 2.8 per cent on weekdays. AM Easy Listening also increased, reaching marginally on weekdays and weekends.
Cairns residents have indicated they are becoming more likely to become disengaged with radio and television advertising with more residents stating they "change stations, tune out or mute the sound" when advertising occurs.
Pay TV channels were the only television channels to increase in viewership from weekday to weekend, increasing from 22,326 to 23,180 viewers.
For the second consecutive year, newspapers were rated as the "most useful advertising medium".
The research indicates a strong loyalty to print mediums such as the Cairns Sun, The Cairns Post and in particular The Weekend Post with 83.5 per cent of Cairns residents reading all copies across the month.
CEC Property marketing manager Ellen Hastie said: "In the current economic environment, this research is vital to businesses in Cairns to ensure marketing dollars are spent effectively."
Compass Research principal Bill Cummings said the research was conducted among a random sample of 500 residents structured by age and gender to reflect the Cairns population.
Download the Compass research report at www.compassresearch.net.au
