More people in Canberra are turning to online media than ‘traditional’ media… although they do like cinema and pay TV.

New research shows people in the ACT are using the internet than are watching (free-to-air) television, ahead of a national trend which still has Australian preferring TV to online media.

The data is from Roy Morgan’s latest State of the Nation Report – with a focus on the ACT – which includes information on media usage among people in the ACT compared to all Australians for the 12 months to June 2012.

Compared to the national average, people in the ACT are less likely to use traditional media such as television, radio and newspapers. However, they are more likely to use the internet, read magazines, go to the cinema and watch pay TV.

The findings may have more to do with the national capital’s higher disposable income than anything else. Morgan says fewer than two per cent of Australians live in the ACT, but they are generally much higher in every socio-economic measure, more educated and socially progressive and more likely to be ‘technology early adopters’.

Chief executive Michele Levine says the figures are significant: “The popularity of magazines also points to the strength and continued importance of this media channel among people in the ACT.

“While traditional media such as TV and magazines are clearly still popular, there has been a rapid rise in the use of the internet, putting pressure on all other media.  There has also been some blurring of the traditional media boundaries, with the internet being used for other media activities like reading newspaper/magazine content, watching TV/videos and streaming radio.”