Women and pensioners embrace internet

Women and people aged over 65 embraced the internet in 2006 like never before, with more women in key age groups going online than their male counterparts, according to Ofcom's annual Communications Market Report.

The media regulator said the web attracted more women last year, with those in the 25-34 age bracket, the most highly sought after age group by advertisers, spending more time on the internet than men of that age.

At the other end of the age scale, the over 50s now account for more than a quarter of British internet users. The over-65s were the group spending the most time online, with an average of 42 hours every month; however, internet penetration in this age group was the lowest at 16%. Among the changing trends in 2006, children are scaling back from using computer games to spend more time on mobile phones and the internet.

Technology is also playing a major role in the way people use the media, with more people making phone calls over the internet, listening to radio via television and watching TV via mobile phones. Ofcom said advertisers responded to these changes by diverting more money to the internet, and away from traditional media such as television and press advertising.

Peter Phillips, Ofcom partner of strategy and market developments, said: "Our communications sector continues to develop at a fast pace, with consumers of all ages using a range of devices to find the services they want."

Average daily internet use was 36 minutes in 2006, up 158% on 2002, while time spent on mobile phones also increased, up 58% at almost four minutes per day. Although time spent watching TV fell 4% during 2006, it still dominated with average daily viewing at 3 hours and 36 minutes. In line with this trend, TV advertising spend dropped by 2.2% from 2005 to £3.5bn. Radio advertising spend fell 7.8% to £480m in the same period, while internet advertising spend increased by 47% to £2bn. Television broadcasters will take little comfort from the report's findings on digital video recording devices (DVR), with up to 78% of people in the UK who own a DVR claiming to fast forward TV ads. The findings suggest that fears over the growing use of the devices hitting advertising revenues are well founded.

Ofcom said 15% of UK television households now own such devices, which include Sky+ and other similar products.