5.1.2 Screen Proliferation
Along with digitization, the second fundamental shift in media consumption is screen pro-
liferation. As computers have become smaller and more convenient, sales of new form
factors have risen rapidly. In the US, smartphone penetration reached 74% in 2013
and tablet ownership rose to 52% (
Sahagian, 2013). In the UK, smartphone and tablet
penetration rose to 51% and 24%, respectively in 2013 (
Ofcom, 2013).
Smartphones and tablets are capable of receiving mass media, but this does not seem to
be their primary use.
Fetto (2013) reports that the typical smartphone owner in America
spends about an hour per day using the device. Seventy-one percent of usage time is spent
on talk, text, e-mail, and social networking. Only about