The Internet has turned from a media channel into a utility, according to the Romanian Transmedia Audit Bureau (BRAT), which also estimates that 90% of Romania’s urban population will have access to the Internet in the following 10 years.

At present, more than 95% of the urban Romanians aged between 14 and 24 use the Internet and the rate goes over 98% in Bucharest and other large cities. In the rural areas, the figure stands at 82%, but it might become similar to the one registered in urban areas in a few years, given its rapid increase.

“For these young people, the Internet hasn’t emerged as a media channel. They ask about Internet access at hotels and restaurants as the adult generation was asking about water or heat a few years back,” according to a BRAT statement.

However, this trend can also be noticed among the adult population. The Internet has become a means of information and communication, entertainment, education, shopping, and finding a job.

The Internet will also diversify and enrich the traditional media channels, or may even limit their power. The television has already started to change, 12% of already owning a smart TV and using all its features.

The billboards and the radio, although less influenced by the Internet, will learn to take advantage of the new platform and enrich their offer for the public.

The print media, which was the most affected so far by the new trend, has however generated some of the strongest online brands. Those who read will keep reading the content, the brand they know, but will change the platform.

According to BRAT, 75% of the Internet users in Romania go online to use their e-mails, 63% go on services websites, 84% search for information, and 20% use the Internet for gambling and sports betting.

A total of 30% of Romania’s urban population does online shopping, the percentage going up to 47% in the 14-24 age group. Moreover, 26% of those aged between 25 and 34 carry out banking operations on a monthly basis and almost 60% of those aged under 45 go online to search information about a product before making a purchasing decision.

“Given the current growing pace, 90% of the urban population and 70% of the rural population will have access to the Internet in the following 10 years,” according to BRAT.

There are 8.8 million Internet users in Romania, and 6.5 million are daily users. Some 70% of the urban population and 44% of those living in rural areas currently use the Internet. In the urban areas, the daily Internet consumption in the 14-64 age group has increased seven times from 2002 to present, from 8% to 56%.

When it comes to media channels, more and more Romanians are now accessing on the Internet the type of media they were finding in traditional channels 10 years ago. If in 2002 only 15% of the users were accessing the websites of magazines/newspapers, their number increased to 50%.

The trend is similar in the case of other media channels. One-third of the population listens to the radio online or watches TV on the Internet at present. In 2005, their share was under 5%.

Moreover, the Romanians remain loyal to content brands as 10 of the top 15 sites in Romania based on the number of visitors belong to media products launched in the traditional media.

However, BRAT shows that the Romanians’ confidence in the online information has decreased in the past 10 years: 60% of the users said in 2005 that they trusted the information found on the Internet while only 45% say the same thing now.

Some 12.7 million Romanians use mobile broadband internet

Statistics: 61% of Romanian households own a computer and have access to the internet

Mobile internet to take over the communications industry in Romania by 2020

Half of Romanians use the Internet

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com