How Teens *really* use Meedja

There have, over the last few years, been a plethora of reports and pundits on teenagers and how they are purportedly using digital media. I must admit that I didn't recognise quite a bit of what they wrote (see here for example). I actually have teen kids, many of them I suspected didn't, and my empirical observations often were wide of their marks. I did actually begin to suspect that research was being skewed, or at least subconsciously fitted, to produce results that various industry pundits, academics, marketers etc wanted to hear. But a new research note out by Morgan Stanley, written by a 15 year old schoolboy working as an intern, seems far closer to the reality - as I observe it anyway. The Grauniad has published the note in full, over here. Key points are that Teens:

- Teens don't listen to the radio much, and when they do its for music. (I'd add they think DJs who prattle on are w*nkers too)
- Watch TV for specific programs and sports, know how to use the iPlayer, and don't own expensive HDTV gear
- Don't buy newspapers (doesn't mention magazines, which is surprising)
- Play lots of games (girls too, with the Wii) and use the online gaming systems to chat as well as game
- Use PCs, not Macs because thats whats at school and in most homes
- Mainly use Facebook, not Twitter for social networking
- By and large ignore advertising unless its pretty novel or (viral ads) helps them socialise
- Consume a lot of free music (though piracy is apparently receding in favour of streaming)
- Go to the Cinema
- Have cheaper mobile phones on PAYG and don't use expensive mobile services

In my observation the report misses out on IM, which they use very heavily for social networking, and some do listen to BBC Radio 4 for comedy (I'm sorry I haven't a Clue) etc.

There is also a "Whats Hot/Whats Not" bit:

What is hot?
• Anything with a touch screen is desirable.
• Mobile phones with large capacities for music.
• Portable devices that can connect to the internet (iPhones)
• Really big tellies

What is not?
• Anything with wires
• Phones with black and white screens
• Clunky 'brick' phones
• Devices with less than ten-hour battery life

But apparently this research piece "shook the City" - probably because it differs from a lot of the bullsh*t research done by said academics, marketeers and pundits noted above (just look at the comments to the articles linked for a masterclass in denial, by the way).

His report, that dismissed Twitter and described online advertising as pointless, proved to be "one of the clearest and most thought-provoking insights we have seen – so we published it", said Edward Hill-Wood, executive director of Morgan Stanley's European media team.

"We've had dozens and dozens of fund managers, and several CEOs, e-mailing and calling all day," said Hill-Wood, 35, estimating that the note had generated five or six times more feedback than the team's usual reports.

Now to me, the only surprise is that people are surprised, the real lesson to me though is that most of the "shaken and surprised" could have sussed the bulk of these "clearest and most thought-provoking insights we have seen" just by watching their own kids rather than reading a Morgan Stanley report. But it is a very scary lesson about just how little the Captains of Finance - and all their Analysts - know of what is going on. Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson once criticized analysts for being "teenage scribblers" - but clearly they need even younger ones

Blimey - it even hit Bloomberg - now thats a surprise! I am wondering, if I let my teenage son write this blog, would it have far more impact with the same material (Probably!)