About two-thirds of American Internet users have already paid to access or download content from the Internet, such as music, movies or news, according to a study published this week by the Pew Research Center.
According to the analysis, carried out under the organization’s American Life Project program, 65 percent of respondents say they have already paid for online content, which reveals some willingness on the part of the public to make the Internet a revenue-generating vehicle also at this level.
«The problem of people’s interest in paying for material online has huge implications for media companies, artistic creators and others looking to support themselves or expand their business through the revenues earned from online sales,» stressed those responsible for the study.
According to the advanced data, music and software are the most «successful» in this matter, with 33 percent of respondents claiming that they have already paid for this type of content online. The applications for phones and tablets appear soon after, with 21 percent of buyers.
Nineteen percent have already paid to access or download games and 18 percent have paid to read newspapers, magazines or articles in digital format. Films, videos and television programs appear on the list of 16 percent of respondents and ring tones have convinced 15 percent.
«What is really surprising is that the percentage of Internet users who pay for content is roughly the same as that seen for the purchase of products and services, such as books and travel,» noted the author of the report.
The analysis was based on telephone interviews with 1,000 US residents, 775 of whom use the Internet.
