AudiencScapes

The AudienceScapes team is currently conducting preliminary research on the project's recent Zambia survey (implemented April 2010). Here is one the interesting points we have recently discovered in our dataset. Stay tuned to our Featured Chart section for more insights and for our upcoming full reports.

Early mobile phone adopters, defined here as those who have had ownership of a phone for at least five years, within our survey have shown be greater consumers of a variety of media compared to those who have owned a phone for a shorter period of time. In addition to greater exposure to media, early adopters were considerably more likely to use word-of-mouth as a means of gathering news and information. It has been shown in previous diffusion research that interpersonal communication is crucial to the expansion of new innovations. Fifty-two percent of early adopters reported discussing news and information with other people in their community daily. Conversely, 36 percent of recent adopters did the same on a daily basis.

While this does not point to causality, this does help to substantiate the assumption that regular media exposure can play a strong role in diffusion of certain innovations. Even lower middle-income* early mobile adopters, which encompass 30 percent of all early adopters, reported having a much higher level of media and word-of-mouth use  compared to recent adopters of similar economic standing.

* Lower Middle-income households are those who self-identified their family financial situation as having enough money for food but not enough for new clothes.

Related Articles and Reports:

Making Connections in Ghana: Chapter 3 Media and ICT Use in Focus- Details Ghanans’ Access to and Use of Various Media and ICTs

Information at the Grassroots in Kenya: Chapter 3 Media and ICT Use in Focus- Details Kenyans' Access to and Use of Various Media and ICTs

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