US teens use nine hours of media per day

US teenagers use an average of nine hours of entertainment media per day, according to new research by nonprofit organisation, Common Sense Media.

The report said that ‘tweens’ aged between eight and 12 spend an average of six hours per day using entertainment media – not including time spent using media for school or homework.

While new entertainment media formats like online videos, mobile gaming and social media have become popular, watching TV and listening to music continue to be the media activities tweens and teens do most often, according to the report.

However, old media was in many cases being consumed in new ways, with mobile devices now accounting for 41% of all screen time among tweens, and 46% among teens, said Common Sense Media.

Some 45% of teen respondents said they use social media every day, compared to 66% who listen to music and 58% who watch TV. Among the tween audience, TV was the media activity engaged in most often, with 62% claiming to tune in every day.

Overall, the study found that tweens average more than 4:36 hours of screen media and teens more than 6:40 screen media a day – as opposed to non-screen media like listening to music.

“Our world is changing and kids are spending a lot of time with media – and they are doing it in a variety of ways and on many platforms,” said James Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media.