The average American bought 13 CDs in the past year. But people who have watched or listened to streaming media online in the past week bought 21 CDs - more than one and a half times as many, according to a study by Arbitron Inc. and Edison Media Research.
"While some in the record industry have viewed streaming as a threat, this research indicates that 'streamies' are a very lucrative group of record buyers," said Bill Rose, vice president and general manager of Arbitron Webcast Services. The study also found that residential broadband adoption has doubled in 18 months. Those with a cable modem or DSL Internet connection at home jumped from 12% in January 2001 to 28% in July 2002. Detailed findings will be presented during a live Webcast on Thursday, Sept. 5.