CorpComms Magazine

Six out of ten 18-24 year olds in the UK and almost three quarters in the US see social networking as a form of entertainment rather than an information channel, according to the fourth annual 'Trust in the Entertainment Industry' survey by PR firm Edelman.

The Internet as a whole has become a leisure destination. The web ranked second as a source of entertainment in both countries, with three out of ten people in the UK consuming online media more often than other entertainment channels. Television continues to hog the top spot however, providing the most regular entertainment to 57 per cent of Brits.

Most consumers do not yet identify Internet brands as entertainment companies, but social media is earning a place in the entertainment business with another benefit - cost. The majority of respondents in both the UK and US felt that social networking sites offer better value entertainment than music, gaming or television companies.

Gail Becker, president of the Western region at Edelman, said: 'While not surprising that television tops the list, seeing the Internet rank second as a source of entertainment - evolving from its origins as a source of information - is significant. We believe that all companies today exist in this new era that we call social entertainment and we will continue to see its influence on how consumers and companies engage with entertainment and with each other.'

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