REGULARITIES IN THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE RUSSIAN INTERNET AUDIENCE

1. International Conference“Internet and Socio-Cultural Transformations in Information Society”. Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, September 7-12, 2013 REGULARITIES IN THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE RUSSIAN INTERNET AUDIENCE Alexander SHARIKOV, Professor of the National Research University «Higher School of Economics», Moscow, Russia

2. CONTENT • A few figures on Russian Internet 2. A brief history of the Russian Internetaudience research 3. Contemporary results of the Russian Internetaudience research

3. A few figures on Russian Internet At September 7, 2013 in Russia there were around 5,7 mlnregistered second-level domains: .RU – 4,8 mln .РФ – 0,8 mln .SU – 0,1 mln Source: StatDom.ru

4. In 2012 the number of Internet users in Russia took the 6th place in the world and the 1st place in Europe Source: World Bank, 2012

5. 55% of Russian population aged 18 and elder use Internet, at least, once per month 53% use Internet, at least, once per week 43% use Internet daily Source: Institute Fonda Obshchestvennoye Mnenie (FOM Public Opinion Foundation Institute), 2013 Q1

6. A brief history of the Russian Internetaudience research

7. The Internet audience research in Russia began in 1995 (WCIOM, COMCON-2 et al.). The number of Internet users were under 1%, i.e. at the level of statistical error. This process was initiated by advertising actors because in USA in 1994 the first Internet banner appeared. It was the advertisement placed by AT&T company.

8. In 1996 automatic Internet counters were introduced in Russia. The company «Stack» introduced in Russia the search engine «Rambler» and counters. But information about audience produced by internet counter was not enough for advertising actors because it was impossible to reveal demographic structure of the audience.

9. In 1998 the Russian company “InfoArt” organized the first “Russian Internet Population Census”. The number of Russian Internet users was estimated at 2,2 mln. A conventional “portrait of average Russian Internet user” was compiled: • male • age 25-30 • higher (university) education • IT specialist • using the Internet from his office

10. 1998 is the beginning of the Internet audience monitoring measurements in Russia. Among first research centers started these kind of measurement were : • COMCON-2 • Gallup Media Data obtained both with Rambler’s counters and monitoring polls revealed some regularities in Russian Internet audience behavior.

11. In particular, they discoveredthat: • number of users entering into cyberspace • depends on time of day • number of users varies periodically day by day Data by «Rambler», 1998.

12. In particular, they discoveredthat: • The minimum of audience size was observed at 5:00 • the maximum of audience size was observed during working day time (12:00-18:00) Data by «Rambler», 1998.

13. Contemporary results of the Russian Internetaudience research

14. In modern situation some different tendencies are observed although the conclusion about periodicity is true. Data by TNS-RussiaJul-Dec 2012, Russian cities 100.000+, age 12+

15. The shape of the audience size day part distribution has been changed. Data by TNS-RussiaJul-Dec 2012, Russian cities 100.000+, age 12+

16. The audience size has markedly increased in leisure-time (19:00-01:00).

17. Now they observe the level of weekly cycling of the Russian Internet audience size. Data by TNS-RussiaJul-Dec 2012, Russian cities 100.000+, age 12+

18. There is one more level of cycling that could be characterized as seasonal one. Data by TNS-RussiaJul-Dec 2012, Russian cities 100.000+, age 12+

19. It is interesting to compare day part distributions of Russian Internet audience versus to both TV and radio audiences. Data by TNS-RussiaJul-Dec 2012, Russian cities 100.000+, age 12+

20. Will the Internet be a serious competitor of traditional television ? Data by the Institute of Sociology, Russian Academy of Sciences, December 2012, Russian population aged 18+

21. The «portrait of an average Internet user» in Russia in 2012 г: • female • aged 30-35 • high school education • using Internet at home Data by TNS-RussiaJul-Dec 2012, Russian cities 100.000+, age 12+

22. The transformation of the «portrait of an average Internet user» in Russia 2012 vs 1998:

23. The age distribution of weekly Internet audience in Russia in 2012 (Q1) 18 Data by TNS-RussiaJan-Jun 2012, Russian cities 100.000+, age 12+

24. The age distribution of weekly audience for Internet, TV and radio in Russia in 2012 (Q1) TV Radio Internet 18 70

25. Conclusions: • The Russian Internet which was formed in early • 1990s, initially, was developing as an professional cyber-environment for specialists in the field of information technology until the end of 1990s. 2. The growth of the audience during last 18 years modified Russian Internet’s functions. At 2013 the most spread functions seem to be entertainment and interpersonal communication via Internet. 3. During 18 years of Internet research in Russia some specific regularities in behavior of the total Russian Internet audience have been discovered.

26. Conclusions: 4. The total Russian Internet audience demonstrates, at least, three levels of periodicity: daily, weekly and yearly. These regularities could be used to predict the total Russian Internet audience size in the nearest future. 5. Comparisons of the total Russian Internet audience day part distribution versus, on the one hand, the total Russian TV audience day part distribution and, on the other hand, the total Russian radio audience day part distribution lead to the conclusion that the Internet is not a strong competitor for both radio and television in the nearest future.

27. Conclusions: 6. The interesting tendency in the demographic structure of the Russian Internet audience is observed. In 1998 it was, mainly, men of 25-30 years old, specialists in IT technology who used Internet in their office. In 2013 it is, mainly, women of 30-35 years old, working in very different areas who use Internet at home. 7. Such transformation could be explained by new communicative forms (as for example, social networks) and a very large number of entertainments existing in the modern Internet.

28. Thank you!