ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, January 12, 1996 TAG: 9601120065
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-2 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW YORK
SOURCE: Associated Press
Internet users spend an average of 6.6 hours a week on the Net, time they used to spend in front of the TV or talking on the phone.
That's according to a survey released Thursday of 1,000 U.S. adults in November and December.
The survey reported that 9.5 million Americans, or 3.6 percent of the population, now use the Internet, including 1.1 million children under 18, said Thomas E. Miller, who directed The American Internet User Survey.
Half of the people surveyed said they first tapped in last year.
Two-thirds of all Internet users look for information weekly and about a quarter search daily.
The average session lasted 68 minutes.
The survey found the average Internet user is 36 years old and that those with college educations are more likely to use it.
The average household income of an Internet user is $62,000.
Overall, 31 percent of Internet users were under age 30; 27 percent were 30 to 39; 26 percent were 40 to 49; and 13 percent were 50 or older.
Nearly a third of the users said they spent less time watching television; a quarter said they spent less time on long-distance telephone calls; 15 percent said they spent less time watching videos; and 10 percent said they spent less time listening to the radio.
Twelve percent said they decreased the time they spent reading newspapers and 13 percent reduced the time they read magazines, but 9 percent and 11 percent said they increased the time they spent reading in general, primarily because they were trying to learn more about the Internet.
The survey, which was sponsored by 30 corporations with interests in the Internet, has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
Only people age 18 and older were interviewed, but those with children were asked about their youngsters' habits.
In order to qualify, respondents had to use at least one Internet application besides e-mail and be able to give its name.
The number of people found to be using the Internet was similar to a finding reported in September in a study commissioned by the Internet publishers O'Reilly & Associates.
Another study reported more than 20 million users, but Miller said that used broader criteria.
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