A US survey has shown that over 20 per cent of people over the age of 12 own at least one portable MP3 player. Among teens exclusively, ownership reaches 54 per cent, according to the new study by Ipsos Insight.
That last figure is something the online media industry should be pleased to hear, according to Ipsos analyst Matt Kleinschmit. Multimedia downloads such as TV shows, music videos and movies are most popular among the under-25 crowd, he said.
But while interest in multimedia downloads is rising, more music is being ripped from CDs than downloaded, Ipsos said.
About 44 per cent of all music downloaders use their existing CD collections as their primary source of MP3 player content, while 6 per cent rip from the collections of others. Only 25 per cent use fee-based music downloads, and even fewer use subscription services, the study reported.
"As the music industry starts to look at this, they are realising that the idea of the CD as the only product is an antiquated one," Kleinschmit said. "A product could be a ringtone, bundled with a song, bundled with a music video -- taking a step outside of the CD, and moving into an era where people who are younger have a completely different mindset."