The latest online media research compiled by Ball State will be unveiled nationally by the Online Publishers Association (OPA) during its "2006 Eyes on the Internet Tour."

The annual road show, which begins June 6 in Atlanta, is designed to provide executives in the advertising, marketing and publishing industries with the latest online media research and trend information.

The tour will include events in eight cities. In each city, OPA and Ball State representatives will discuss its new research project, "A Day in the Life: An Ethnographic Study of Media Consumption."

OPA commissioned Ball State's Center for Media Design (CMD) to conduct the study, which is the most detailed and in-depth analysis to date of the Middletown Media Studies data. The research, which is based on actual observations of media usage, will explore where, how and in which combination consumers are using media, and explain the implications for media, advertisers and marketers.

The study will include the latest analysis of the use of online media, including:

• The extent of Internet use throughout the day to determine if it can be genuinely referred to as a mass medium
• The relationship between the Web and other media, how both are used together and implications of this relationship for content providers and advertisers
• The extent the Internet is used for various activities, including work, education, hobbies, information, entertainment and e-commerce

"With the Internet now ubiquitous in our daily lives, it's vital that we explore exactly how consumers are using all forms of media," said Pam Horan, OPA vice president, marketing and membership. "Because this study is based on real-world observations, it will provide the most complete and accurate look at everyday media use by average Americans.

"In each tour stop, we'll discuss the study in detail and engage in lively debate about what it means for the future of media and advertising," she said. "To fully explore these critical issues, we'll hear from leading executives in publishing, marketing and research."

Participating in the tour from Ball State will be Michael Holmes, CMD associate director of insight and research, and Jim Spaeth and Bill Moult, industry research fellows.

OPA Eyes on the Internet 2006 tour schedule:

June 6: Atlanta

June 7: New York

June 8: Boston              

June 13: Chicago              

June 14: Detroit

June 20: Los Angeles   

June 21: Dallas

June 22: San Francisco  

For additional information about the tour, go to www.online-publishers.org/eyes2006. All events are free of charge, but space may be limited.

Eyes on the Internet 2006 is sponsored nationally by AllBusiness.com; About.com; CBS Digital Media; CNET Networks; The New York Times Media Company; Real Cities Network; Reuters.com; and Tribune Interactive.

About the Online Publishers Association

Founded in June 2001, the Online Publishers Association (OPA) is an industry trade organization whose mission is to advance the interests of high-quality online publishers before the advertising community, the press, the government and the public. Members of OPA represent the standards in Internet publishing with respect to editorial quality and integrity, credibility and accountability. OPA member sites have a combined, unduplicated reach of 109.5 million visitors, or 65 percent of the total U.S. Internet audience (Source: comScore Media Metrix, July 2005 combined home/work/university data). For more information, go to www.online-publishers.org.

About Center for Media Design and Middletown Media Studies 2

The Center for Media Design (CMD) is a research and development facility focused on the creation, testing and practical application of digital technologies for business, classroom, home and community.

Middletown Media Studies 2 (MMS2) builds upon Muncie's reputation as "Middletown America," a typical community in the United States. Muncie earned this distinction as a result of the Middletown Studies of the 1920s and '30s by sociologists Robert and Helen Lynd. MMS2 is a follow-up to a 2004 study that found people consume much more media than they say they do.

(Note to editors: For more information, contact Mike Bloxham, CMD's testing center director at mbloxham@bsu.edu or (765) 285-0127.)