Third of U.S. teens with phones text 100 times a day!

It surprises me how many times a day I check my phone for a new message. It is even more mind-boggling when I realize how much I texted in one day. The reality is, my phone is my life and texting is my number one form of communication. What is even more true, is that there are millions of others just like me. Welcome to the young ruling world of technology!

I found a great article on Reuters about teens and their obsession with there cell phones. Apparently a third of U.S. teens, text 100 times a day. The study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, found that texting has risen dramatically since 2008. Young people between the ages of 12 and 17 now own cellphones and of those that do, girls typically send or receive 80 text messages per day and boys, 30 per day.

The study’s authors also say that, unlike phone calls, text messaging can be quietly carried out under the “noses of parents, teachers or other authority figures and, unlike computers, it can be done almost anywhere.”

Text messaging is something that one controls and is able to freely express themselves without telling that person face to face. According to the article, texting has become so much a part of teenagers’ lives that 87 percent of those who text said that they sleep with, or next to, their phone.

The percentage of teens with cellphones who sent at least one text message a day increased from 38 percent in 2008 to 54 percent in September 2009, according to the study.

Meanwhile 38 percent of teens said they daily make at least one cell phone call, 30 percent said they talk on a landline phone and 24 percent said they used instant messaging.

Wow! just honestly makes you think how times can truly change. I could never see myself living in a world were digital connection ceased to exist. We are truly consumed within a different world. Can you imagine how things will be 10 years from now?

Social Media’s Impact on PR Continues to Grow

I found an interesting article in The Economist on social media. It does a great job at explaining why social networks have grown so fast -- and how Facebook has become so dominant. It really got me thinking how much our generation has grown with new technology. I can’t imagine the world today without computers, cell phones, and social media sites. Children today will never grow up not knowing what Facebook, Twiiter or You Tube are. Being born into this new digital world is astonishing when you truly look back at the time when none of these sites ever existed. My childhood consisted of networking with my friends by playing outside. These days, children rather network with there friends through a computer screen. Kinda scary in a way. Either way, there is no doubt that social media has truly changed the world forever.

Journalists, Michelle Hinson and Don Wright write a paper every year on the use of social media among PR professionals. For the past five years they’ve surveyed PR professionals. This year they received 560 responses from around the globe.

What they found:

Twitter and Facebook saw the greatest increases both in usage and as the prefeerred source of news. (no surprise there!)

Across the board, PR practitioners feel that whether you call it new media, social media, or blogs, their influence on the practive of public relations is growing. In 2010, 96% said they spent part of their average workday working with blogs or social media.

Social media is winning over skeptics. in 2008 just 66 percent of respondents said that blogs and social media have enhanced the practice of PR. By this year, 81% agreed that it had enhanced the practice.

81% of people feel that social media belongs under the public relations functions. (compared to just 66% in 2009).

Facebook, with over 350 million users, is the undisputed leader of social networking in the English speaking parts of the world, and has been making strides in Latin-America, Europe and Africa as well.

Facebook has not only helped people to make zillions of new connections, it has also inspired a screenplay. According to this January article in The Economist, a film called “The Social Network,” due to be released later this year, will trace the site’s meteoric rise from its foundation in 2004 to become king of the social-networking world. Wow, you know there is power here when social networks manage to shoot to such prominence that they are given the ultimate Hollywood treatment.

How to become famous - Reality TV Ruling our world

Ever since I can remember reality television has invaded our television screens with overall shenanigans. It all started off with the Real World on MTV in 1992. A show of “seven strangers...picked to live in a house...work together and have their lives taped..” The show skyrocketed to success (currently on it’s 23rd season) and left a legacy for many other shows to follow. AND THEY SURE DID. Fast-forward eighteen years later where reality TV dominates everything in television and entertainment - The Hills, The City, Survivor, American Idol, College Hill, Keeping up with the Kardashians, Flavor of Love, I Love New York, America’s next top model, and my personal favorite Jersey Shore.

What shocks me the most is the salary that these “reality stars” make per show. Lauren Conrad was making a whopping 75,000 dollars per episode by the time her last season came on The Hills.

MTV received a record high with 4.8 billion viewers for the Jersey Shore finale, surpassing the former number one show, The Hills. Now that is great publicity. MTV has offered the cast of Jersey Shore to return for a second season (smart choice MTV). What’s the catch? All of the original members are demanding 10,000 dollars per episode. You mean to tell me that all I have to do is fist pump my way through night clubs, tan, work out a lot, and act crazy on camera to get paid 10 grand a week? Sign me up.

It is completely astonishing to see the direction entertainment has taken. I am not mad at all at the fact that reality TV is dominating the world. To be honest, am one of those avid consumers of reality television, especially the Jersey Shore.

However, I know that creating a very successful television show is extremely difficult because not only do you have to be that “next creative reality show,” but, you also have to be able to please the public and do it well. To be honest, that is one of the hardest things to do. It just shocks me to see how people with absolutely no talent are getting paid astronomical prices for doing absolutely nothing. Maybe we should all just jump on this “become famous” band wagon.

This trend is no where near the end, I see it as a continuos growing monopoly for all consumers. Whether people are a fan or not, there is no doubt that reality television is the ring leader and saving many networks out there. The publicists that represent all these reality stars can’t really complain with there job right now.