New Zealand’s Broadcasting Standards Authority BSA) has found that nearly half of the country’s children (42%) use a mobile phone. The report found that NZ children are savvy media users and that while there has been an explosive growth in media devices in homes in the past few years, television remains the principal form of entertainment, Cellular-News reports this week.

The research was conducted by Colmar Brunton for the BSA and involved interviews with more than 600 children aged between six and 13 and their primary care givers.

Nine per cent of children watch TV, 84% play computer games or video games, 62% use the internet and 42% use a mobile phone.

BSA Chief Executive Dominic Sheehan said: “Not surprisingly, the research reveals that children are interacting with new media, like cell phones, MP3 players and the internet, in high numbers. However, there are marked inequalities in access to new media with Pacific and Maori children, in particular, falling behind Asian and Pakeha children.”

The report is available on the BSA website.