Ofcom: British Teens Prefer Mobile & Internet Over TV

LONDON: For the first time, 12- to 15-year-olds in the U.K. reported they would miss their mobiles and the Internet more than television, finds new Ofcom research.

Of the respondents ages 12 to 15, 28 percent said they would miss their mobile most, and 25 percent said the same of the Internet, while just 18 percent cited television. The study does find that children are watching more TV than ever before, with viewing up by 2 hours since 2007. In 2010, those 4 to 15 watched an average of 17 hours and 34 minutes of TV per week, compared with 15 hours and 37 minutes reported in 2007.

Television still remains the most most popular activity with those 5 to 7. Of that demo, nearly half (48 percent) said that TV is the medium they would miss the most, with less than 10 percent citing the Internet and only 1 percent listing mobile phones. Of this age group, 95 percent watch TV almost every day, compared to 43 percent using the Internet and 7 percent using mobile.

Ed Richards, Ofcom’s chief executive, said: “The almost universal use of the Internet at home by 12-15s—both for their education as well as their entertainment—is a positive step forward.

“The research also shows that parents and children are increasingly aware of how to be safe when using the Internet. But risks do remain. Better understanding—amongst parents as well as their children—is key to helping people to manage content and communications, enabling them to enjoy the benefits of media use while protecting themselves from the potential risks.”