Ball State University's Center for Media Design has received a $3.5 million commission to conduct a research study on media consumption, which will begin this month, Michael Bloxham, CMD director of insight and research, said.
According to a press release, the Center for Research Excellence, a subsidiary of Nielson Media Research, will provide funding for the project.
Gary Holmes, spokesman for NMR, said Ball State was chosen to conduct the study over several other organizations.
"We put out a request for proposals," he said. "We found that Ball State had the experience and the imagination to offer [to the project]."
The study will primarily focus on video media, Bloxham said.
Bloxham said newspapers, magazines, books and other non-video media will also be studied.
Researchers will shadow subjects for an entire day and record their media consumption habits, Bloxham said. Two researchers will shadow each particular subject, exchanging eight hour shifts, he said
Bloxham said 350 people from five cities will be observed.
The researchers shadowing the subjects will include people from across the nation, including former Ball State students, Bloxham said. Graduate students will also be able to participate in the Indianapolis-based portion of the study, he said.
Bloxham said the subjects' media consumption would be interpreted in the context of their life activities.
Researchers will note other activities the subjects might be engaged in while consuming media, he said. Analysis will be done to determine how different activities relate to different forms of media consumption, he said.
Bloxham said observational research is much more effective than self-reporting, in which the subjects report the amount of media they consume.
"The number of [video] screens in our lives has greatly increased in the last 10 years," he said. "It has become impossible for someone to recall [the amount of video he consumes] accurately."
Bloxham said all of the subjects will be observed twice during the year, once in the spring and once in the fall.
The study will help broadcasting companies determine better ways for measuring video consumption, he said.
"It is a study that will be talked about and studied by many companies," he said.
Bloxham said the study will help solidify Ball State's reputation as an authority in the conduct of media research studies.
"[That Ball State was chosen for the project] is really an acknowledgement of our method," he said.
Video platforms to be studied:- Home television - In-store video - Video in bars and elevators - Internet video - Portable video
Cities in which the study will be conducted:- Seattle- Dallas- Atlanta- Philadelphia- Indianapolis
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