MediaMark: Kids Study.

Mediamark Research Inc. has released to its clients data from the company’s first-ever survey of American children ages 6-11, highlighting their magazine readership, multimedia and product usage, lifestyles and thoughts and feelings.

Approximately 5,400 children responded to the 2005 American Kids Study, questionnaires for which were sent to households with children ages 6-11 that were interviewed for MRI’s Survey of the American Consumer. The survey period was March 8 to August 1, 2005. Among the findings:

Gaming is the top online activity.

CD players outnumber MP3 players for music listening

70% want to make a lot of money when they are older.

When asked what they do when TV commercials come on, nearly 60% of respondents say they watch them.
“This latest release expands MRI’s survey capabilities to the extent that we now report on children, teenagers and adults,” said Julian Baim, Senior Vice President and Chief Research Officer for MRI. “It provides extensive insight into the habits of the country’s youthful consumers.”

Said Kathi Love, President and Chief Executive Officer of MRI, “The American Kids Study fulfills a need expressed by many of our clients and rounds out our research offerings in the broadest possible way. Also, by combining data common to both The American Kids Study and our Teenmark study, we are able to offer a comprehensive database of Americans from age six to 19. Subscribers can segment young people by whatever age they’re targeting, including the important Tween group.”

Recognizing the impact of parents and guardians, MRI has included the voices of moms, dads and caregivers in The American Kids Study. One parent/guardian per household received a separate questionnaire seeking insights on how the interaction between parent and child shapes media and purchase behavior. Data from the parent survey will be released to clients in the coming months.

Charter subscribers to The American Kids Study include Carat, Mediavest, MindShare, Starcom, The Cartoon Network, Time for Kids, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Boy’s Life and National Geographic for Kids.

The American Kids Study reveals that during the survey period, more than half of the 6-11 age group (59%) went online in the last 30 days, while 8.1% went online every day. What the largest percentage (42.6%) of respondents did online was play games, while 23.1% “Did stuff for school/homework.” More girls than boys (13.6% vs. 7.6%) used e-mail, and just 2.6% of all respondents visited chat rooms.

When it comes to music, the largest percentage of respondents (74%) listened via a car radio, 62.8% used a CD player, and 4.1% used an MP3 player. Boys are more likely to play a video, Internet or computer game every day; 28.9% of boys said they did so compared to 11.1% of girls. The majority of both boys and girls (58.2% and 65.3%) say friends are an important part of their lives; most also report they want to go to college.

Asked about the things in their room, the lead item is a CD player (59.8%), closely followed by a TV (56.3%). Asked “What do you usually do when commercials come on,” 57.8% of respondents said they watch them.

To view charts CLICK above on ‘More Images’.