“This data begs the question: is the constant negative news feed on the industry warranted when newspapers are actually being read by three-fourths of the adult population? When you look at audience data, it seems irrational that advertisers are leaving newspapers because the numbers speak for themselves,” said Gary Meo, senior vice president, print and digital media, Scarborough Research.

“The economic situation we’re in has had many casualties, banks, the housing market, free soda, the works. But one of the most notable has been newspapers. I’ve posted in the past on the fate of the Christian Science Monitor, and the Rocky Mountain News has now said its goodbye as well. I think it is safe to say that these are not the end of a trend; they are the first casualties of a much longer downward decline…

…I would like to invite all of the members of this community to post their ideas on the future of news, particularly as it is related to emerging media (i.e. not TV). I’d like to start by giving an example from the New York Times online. They have provided an interactive map taking a look at immigration patterns into the US over the past 120 years. What I think is impressive is that they have made this the centerpiece for ongoing online discussions among readers; they have journalists write pieces about the trends and they have op-ed writing columns. They are integrating all of the strengths a news source can provide: great data collection, objective reporting, opinion, and adding social media.”

Read the whole post to submit your thoughts on the future of news.

In Frito-Lay’s case, NeuroFocus was enlisted by the ad agency charged with re-defining calorie-conscious snacks such as Baked Lays and 100-calorie packages to make them appeal to women.  To learn more about NeuroFocus’s work on this campaign, read the New York Times article here.

Nielsen made a strategic investment in NeuroFocus in February 2008.

The average U.S. household has 2.7 people and 2.9 TVs.  For the quarter ended September 2008, the average American watched 142 hours of TV per month, an increase of five hours from the same period in 2007.  Average Internet usage also increased, to an average of 27 hours per month.

So how has TV managed to maintain its lead? The variety of channels available on cable and satellite is clearly one factor.  There’s a network for virtually every interest.  Second, programming produced for TV is driving growth in other channels like the Internet and mobile.  The ability to download TV shows from iTunes or stream from Hulu.com or TV network site has enabled fans to watch their favorite programs when and where they want.

Meanwhile, 5.5 million Brits visited at least one of the top 10 magazine websites — up 30% from 4.3 million unique visitors last year.

Among the top 10 newspaper websites, the Guardian’s site was most popular, drawing 3.5 million unique UK visitors in November.  The Mirror (92%), Independent (85%), and Daily Mail (65%) had the largest year-over-year growth.

Among the top 10 magazine websites, Auto Trader was easily the most popular, with 1.8 million unique UK visitors.  BBC Good Food (+153%) and Radio Times (+76%) were the fastest growing online magazines among the top ten.

Most Popular Newspaper Websites (UK Only): November 2008

Most Popular Magazine Websites (UK Only): November 2008

Read coverage of Nielsen’s findings in New Media Age, Brand Republic, and MediaWeek.