Four Screens Media

The FT reported that Morgan Stanley report on the media by a 15 year old (seriously) is causing a bit of buzz. 

Are we really taking this report seriously?   Here are some of the key findings (outlined by Business Insider, where I posted this comment).  They are too funny in the saddest kind of way.

1. Teens don’t watch cable?  Right.  Not only is there plenty of research showing otherwise, but why don’t we ask how many teens are willing to cancel cable?  I know my grade schooler hates the idea of no cable.  Take that Morgan Stanley – my research takes a longer term view than yours since my researcher is only in grade school and yours is already in high school.  

2. Teens say ads are be annoying and pointless?  Really?  Cause the rest of us look forward to them (note: sarcasm).  Sure, I’d love my TV and Web content to be free and without advertising along with my free car, free house….Consumers have shown time and time again they not only will put up with advertising, but react positively to it (include teens).  Oh yeah, I hear a lot of 15 year olds hate school and find it pointless and annoying.  I guess schools are going the way of advertising and newspapers.   By the way, teens tend to take more action based on marketing campaigns than most other demographics.

3.  The report said their time and money is spent on  movies, concerts and video game consoles.  Oh.  So you’re just writing about me and my friends in the early 80s.  

4. No teenagers read newspapers regularly since they get summaries online or on television-  Uh.  Really?  So teens were a major market for newspapers before this whole web thing happened?    Oh, and don’t you love the irony of saying teens don’t read newspapers since they see summaries online or on television.   I thought they don’t watch television (see point 1).

But I guess that’s what happens when your acceptable standard for published research methodology are the thoughts (?) of a 15 year old and his friends.