Researchers estimate that 25-30% of total media time is spent multitasking, and the more media a person consumes, the more likely they will consume several channels at once. Why should marketers care? Because multitasking has a profound impact on consumers' ability to absorb and remember ad messages.

The Research and Markets' eMarketer report: Multitasking Consumers: Distracted or Connected? explores how the 24-hour-day morphed into something much longer – and that means marketers are facing more complex communications challenges.

According to a 2006 study by Yahoo! and OMD, US consumers now live a 43-hour day filled with more than 16 hours of interaction with media and technology. MTV, meanwhile, in a 2005 study, says the "normal" day lasts 32 hours, with 6.5 hours devoted to various media.

However, as more media floods into consumers' lives, they are finding ways to make room for them. Multitasking is a necessity. As a result, for marketers, "breaking through" to consumers is more difficult than ever.

Key questions the "Multitasking Consumers" report answers:

• How often do teens and adults use two or more media simultaneously?
• Which media are most often consumed simultaneously?
• How is multitasking affecting TV networks and online video sites?
• Are consumers still engaged with media and advertising when they're multitasking?
• And many others...

Topics Covered

• Executive Summary
• US Adult Internet Users Who Use Other Media While Going Online, 2006 (millions)
• Issues & Questions
• The eMarketer View
• Time Spent with Media
• US Adults
• US Children, Teens and Young Adults
• Time Spent Multitasking
• Multitasking Consumers: Distracted or Connected?
• Factors Affecting Multitasking Behavior
• The Role of the Computer
• Multitasking Consumers: Distracted or Connected?
• Computers and Other Media
• Computer and Computer
• TV and Multitasking
• How Multitasking Will Impact TV and Online Video
• Multitasking and Advertising
• Media Measurement in a Multitasking Environment
• Can Advertisers Benefit from Multitasking?