Over Half of Internet Users Now Use Broadband
ST. LOUIS, (PRNewswire), May 15, 2005 - The numbers of adults who are online at home, in the office, at school, library or other locations continue to grow albeit at a somewhat slower rate.
In the past eight months the number of online users has reached an estimated 163 million(1), a four percent increase. In addition, broadband use continues to grow rapidly - over half (54%) of adults who go online use broadband at home.
In research among 2,022 U.S. adults surveyed by telephone in February and April 2005, Harris Interactive(R) found that 74 percent of adults are now online, up from 73 percent in the summer of 2004, 66 percent in the spring of 2002, 64 percent in 2001 and 57 percent in 2000. When Harris Interactive first began to track Internet use in 1995, only nine percent of adults reported they were online.
Internet access increases at home and at work
This recent growth in Internet penetration seems to be the result of increased Internet access at other locations though usage at home and work has also increased slightly. Adults who are online at a location other than their home or work rose to 21 percent up from 17 percent in 2004 and 16 percent in 2003. The proportion of adults who are now online at home has risen to 66 percent, up from 65 percent in 2004 and 61 percent in 2003. Those online at work have risen to 36 percent from 34 percent in 2004 and 31 percent in 2003.
Broadband access increases sharply
By far the most striking change in this new Harris Interactive research is the big increase in those with broadband connections. In the spring of 2002 only 22 percent of adults who are online had broadband (including ISDN, cable, ADSL/DSL, T1 and T3 lines) connections. By October/December 2003, this had increased to 37 percent. It is now up to 54 percent of all those online.
The demographic profile of Internet users in the United States look like the country as a whole
As Internet penetration rises, the demographic profile of Internet users continues to look more like that of the nation as a whole. It is still true that more young than older people, and more affluent than low-income people, are online. But eight percent of those online are now age 65 or over (compared to 15% of all adults who are 65 or over), 38 percent of those online (compared to 47% of all adults) did not go to college and 16 percent have incomes of less than $25,000 (compared to 21% of all adults).
The Harris Poll(R) is based on 2,022 interviews with adults aged 18 and over conducted by telephone within the United States during February 2005 and April 2005. Figures for age, sex, race, education, number of adults and number of voice/telephone lines in the household were weighted where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population.
Radio Listening Declines As Online Listening Increases
ST. LOUIS, (PRNewswire), May 15, 2005 - According to the latest MusicLab report from The NPD Group, even though radio, audio devices and music videos on television dominate overall music listening behavior, the computer is an increasingly significant medium for music listening.
Computer listening behaviors are all on the rise compared to last year, with listening to music on a portable music player, streaming music online and listening to music on a computer showing the most notable increases.
Radio remains the most popular way to listen to music; however, radio listening actually declined four percent since last year (194 million people aged 13 and over listened to music on the radio in March 2005, versus 203 million who listened in March 2004). By contrast, listening to music stored on a computer rose by 22 percent (63.2 million to 77.2 million), online radio listening increased 18 percent (45.3 million to 53.5 million) and free streaming of online music increased 37 percent (33.7 million to 46.1 million).
"The rise of digital listening and storage for music continues unabated this year," said Russ Crupnick, president of the NPD Group's Music & Movies division. "Technology companies are providing new tools to consumers in the form of powerful music-enabled PCs and portable music players, music companies are answering the call for more content and consumers are responding positively."
NPD noted a marked increase in consumers ripping music onto their computers: this activity more than doubled (102 percent) since March 2004. The transfer of music to MP3 players also more than doubled (127 percent) since last year, while paying to download music files increased 93 percent. Consumer visits to music Web sites increased seven percent this year over last.
"Music listeners today are faced with a dizzying array of methods for obtaining and listening to music," said Russ Crupnick, president of the NPD Group's Music & Movies division. "Far from inciting confusion, these new technology-driven avenues may be helping consumers sample and enjoy music across a wider variety of music genres."
NPD's MusicLab Surveys are conducted bi-monthly among a group of approximately 5,000 consumers aged 13 years and older; results are calibrated and balanced to represent the U.S. population. The most recent survey was fielded in March 2005. NPD MusicWatch Digital information is collected continuously from the PCs of 40,000 online panelists balanced to represent the online population of PC users.
$1.3 Billion in Funding to States for Bioterrorism Preparedness
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), May 15, 2005 - St. Louis is one of 21 pilot cities to receive targeted funding to be used to upgrade infectious disease surveillance and investigation, enhance the readiness of hospitals and the health care system to deal with large numbers of casualties.
"Our ability to respond effectively to public health emergencies is an important part of securing our Homeland," HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said in an announcement. "These funds will help us build on the progress we have made the past three years with our state and local partners, and will result in a stronger system to care for Americans in emergencies, whether it be a bioterror attack or an infectious disease outbreak like SARS or West Nile virus."
Funds will expand public health laboratory and communications capacities and improve connectivity between hospitals, and city, local and state health departments to enhance disease reporting. These emergency preparedness and response efforts are intended to support the National Response Plan and the interim National Preparedness Goal.
The HHS funding is awarded via two separate but interrelated cooperative agreements. HHS' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is providing $862.8 million for strengthening public health preparedness to address bioterrorism, outbreaks of infectious diseases and public health emergencies. It focuses on the critical tasks necessary for the public health community to prepare for and respond to a terrorist event or other public health emergencies, emphasizing integrated response systems. The ability to quickly and effectively distribute preventative medication in affected areas is one of the nation's top priorities to be addressed.
HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is providing $471 million for states to develop surge capacity to deal with mass casualty events. This includes the expansion of hospital beds, development of isolation capacity, identifying additional health care personnel, establishing hospital- based pharmaceutical caches, and providing mental health services, trauma and burn care, communications and personal protective equipment. Hospitals play a critical role in both identifying and responding to any potential terrorism attack or infectious disease outbreak.
University of Missouri Technology Park to Open at Fort Leonard Wood
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), May 15, 2005 - The University of Missouri Technology Park at Fort Leonard Wood will officially expand with the dedication of a second building on Thursday, May 19, at 4:00 p.m.
University of Missouri System President Elson Floyd and Major General Randal Castro, Commanding General of Fort Leonard Wood, will participate in the ribbon cutting ceremony.
"This new facility will provide additional high-tech office and lab space to serve the rapidly expanding missions of Fort Leonard Wood." said Rick Finholt, executive director of the University of Missouri Office of Economic Development and Research Parks. Finholt also directs the University of Missouri's Missouri Research Park located in St. Charles County, Missouri.
"The Fort Leonard Wood park is a boost to the entire region because it encourages technology transfer between the University of Missouri and the U.S. Army and provides job opportunities for students, alumni, local residents and military spouses," Finholt said. "Long-range plans for the Technology Park at Fort Leonard Wood include additional buildings to provide office space, classrooms and training facilities, and engineering and wet labs."
The $2.2 Million, 18,000-square-foot building will initially house two corporate tenants - 21st Century Systems and Concurrent Technologies Corp. - and three Army facilities - the Terrain Visualization Center, the Topographic Engineering Center and the TRADOC Program Integration Office for Terrain Data. Approximately 4,595 square feet of space is currently available for lease.
The 62-acre Technology Park at Fort Leonard Wood is the first technology park in the nation to be located on an active Army post. The park provides a much-needed on-Post location for businesses that support and enhance the missions, activities and strategic goals of Fort Leonard Wood. Suppliers, contractors and other organizations that work closely with the Army have immediate access to military contacts.
The technology park is a joint venture between the University of Missouri and the Missouri Technology Corporation, a subsidiary of the Department of Economic Development.
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