Internet's Killing The TV Star, Survey Says

America is spending a lot less time in front of the boob tube -- and the Internet's to blame, according to a new survey.

The online poll of consumers' digital media and entertainment habits, sponsored by IBM, showed that more people are spending more time Web surfing than channel hopping of late.

Of those surveyed, 19% reported spending six or more hours per day on the Internet, compared to just 9% who said they spend the same amount of time watching television. Sixty percent said they spent one to four hours online per day, compared to about 66% who said they spend the same amount of time in front of the TV.

IBM says the Internet's emergence as a primary source of home entertainment is having a big impact on the advertising industry. "Media and entertainment industry players will have to become much better at providing permission-based advertising and related consumer-driven ratings services," said Bill Battino, a managing partner in IBM's Global Business Services unit, in a statement.

IBM's survey of digital lifestyles also found that 23% of respondents used a portable music service, such as iTunes, 7% held a video subscription contract for their mobile phones, 11% said they use a PC-based music service, and 18% had an online newspaper subscription.

To date, IBM has taken a relatively low-key approach to digital advertising. The company's consulting arm offers change management services for media companies, and its Websphere middleware can support a range of e-commerce activities, including digital advertising.

But IBM has yet to take a direct plunge into the market to challenge companies like Microsoft, which recently acquired Razorfish parent aQuantive, or Yahoo, which earlier this year bought out DoubleClick.

IBM conducted the survey from mid-April through mid-June 2007. It included 885 respondents in the U.S. and 559 in the U.K out of 2,243 total responses.