Too much media, too little gain

Recently the Council for Research Excellence released a study saying the average American is exposed to 61 minutes of TV ads and promotions a day. The number seems high, but when you look past simply TV delivering video advertising and factor in grocery store television screens, targeted video streams in taxi cabs and on gas pumps and video clips delivered directly to your cell phone - then those 61 minutes seems relatively small.

According to the study, adults are exposed to screens - TVs, cell phones, even G.P.S. devices - for about 8.5 hours on any given day. TV remains the dominant medium for media consumption and advertising, the study found. Computer and internet use overtook radio as the second most common media activity. Print was fourth.

My question is... "Are we really consuming the content of all the media we are exposed to? " Or is it similar to multi-tasking at work - a theory that sounds good, but in 90% of the cases we could accomplish the same tasks quicker and better single-tasking instead.

I grew up with the TV on and my adult life is no different. The TV is always on in my house, usually tuned to CNN or ESPN If I am not watching intently. Some people listen to Celine or John Mayer on their stereo for background noise; I listen to Wolf Blitzer or Linda Cohn on TV. I even sleep with the TV on - my poor ex tried blindfolds and ear plugs to survive that experience.

The researchers found that television and video games attract the most undivided attention, while other actions (like listening to music) often occur while people are doing other things.

I tried to pay attention to my media intake for one day, 9-5. As noted above, the television was a constant media source. After some AM chat with Regis, Kelly and The View the programming was split equally between blocks of CNN and ESPN. Breaking news and such of course drew immediate attention but the other content almost was drone in the background. The only reason for any retention was the almost over-the-top repetitive of content each hour on both networks but in particular ESPN. Really ESPN there isn't enough content for six straight hours of live daytime Sportscenters. Hell by 3PM I can recite the scripts and jokes.

The majority of my 9 to 5 media attention was directed toward a computer screen - and that almost equally divided into thirds. The first third is personal focused and includes review of five daily news paper sites, several media sites, a few regular blogs, the USA Today "Today in the Sky" section. Most of these sites get a once daily review, though I do check in on news sites throughout the day for new items.

The next third of computer content is what I'll call work or daily task orientated. These are work duties or most recently for me career searches and such. Typically not a lot of content consumed, more likely to be putting out content. (I would throw blogging in here too).

The final third reaches beyond the computer but I would call email, text messages, Facebook et al. I was taught early in my career not to be a slave to the email bell! So email is checked at scheduled points during the day - usually three times - morning, lunchtime and late afternoon - not each time a message arrives and a bell rings. Email isn't a priority alert communication tool - if it's urgent use the phone or text - or get out of your cubicle and walk 20 feet down to mine. I try to keep Facebook and Twitter nor after 5PM, but it somehow encroaches on line or via my Blackberry.

The smallest media vying for my attention would be traditional print - which in my world is usually mail or magazines which arrive midday. Almost 90% of this content is headed for the trash as soon as it leaves the mailbox.

That's a ton of content being taken in during 8 hours and that's just media based - add on top actually talking to someone in person or on the phone or doing some targeted research or information gathering.

Reviewing just that one day there was very little content that stands out at the end of the day - random facts or stories usually without relation and the aforementioned Breaking News would survive an aided recall quiz. And I am sure this isn't just me, but is repeated in home and office on every street across the country. Which begs the huge question; are we a better society with everyone knowing a little bit, but knowledge without depth or are we ruining ourselves with too much content and not enough detail?