Like most baby boomers, I’m hopeless when it comes to programming a DVD player, downloading an iPHONE app or changing channels using a foreign remote. Luckily, most remotes have a green button for ON and a red button for OFF. So sometimes I have to rely on the teenager who lives next door or one of my sons to do all that ‘techno’ stuff for me.

And now I see that Mathew Robson, a UK teenager who was doing work experience while at the global financial services company Morgan Stanley, has had his report How Teenagers Consume Media not only published but also discussed at length by business leaders, politicians and media executives at the Allen & Co Sun Valley conference held recently in Idaho, USA.

Robson’s report is a no BS explanation of how he and his friends consume media. To compile it he simply texted his school friends for their opinions and then wrote the report in one day. His key findings:

· Teenagers are consuming more media but they’re not willing to pay for it.

· They resent intrusive advertising on TV, billboards and the internet.

· They’re happy to download music but hate paying for it.

· Print media such as newspapers are seen as irrelevant.

· Cinema, events and concerts remain popular and they will pay to attend them.

· While not regular radio listeners they want it without advertising.

· Facebook is their preferred medium of connecting with friends.

· Teenagers see ads (banners, pop-ups etc) on websites as annoying.

· Twitter is for adults – not teenagers.

So how will Robson’s findings impact on today’s older consumers? Probably not greatly in the short term, but remember that today’s teenagers will be tomorrow’s consumers so we’d better be ready for the ‘teen change’ that’s heading our way.

Follow me at http://twitter.com/bayer12