If current growth trends continue, the Internet will overtake traditional TV as the most consumed form of media for the first time in June 2010. Internet consumption in 2010 will average 14.2 hours per week, or over 2.5 days a month, compared to 11.5 hours a week, or 2 days a month, for TV, according to a report released by Microsoft.

The report, which analyses people’s online behaviour across Europe and discusses the trends of the future, highlights that while the Internet will become the most popular media, this does not signify the decline in TV, it simply reflects the changing ways we experience TV content. No longer a one-way broadcast experience, TV becomes a two way connected experience delivered via broadband to multiple screens - TV, PC, mobile.

The report outlines that over the next five years, we should see the PC move from being almost the sole provider of the Internet (95 per cent) to representing just 50 per cent of Internet usage as other web enabled or connected devices grow in popularity - such as TV, mobile phones and games consoles5.

Jeffrey Cole, Centre for Digital Future Director, USC Annenberg School, comments: "Rather than shrinking, television will only grow in importance. TV no longer refers to the big screen in the home, but to audio and visual content that will be watched everywhere. It will become our constant companion as it escapes from the home for the first time via the mobile phone and netbook PC. That said, the big screen at home will continue to play an important role. We will save our favourite content for the big screen in the home for cinema like experiences. The gap between the home and theatre has never been so narrow."

Story filed 14.04.09