TESTING THE RELATIVE CONSTANCY OF MASS-MEDIA EXPENDITURES IN THE UNITED-KINGDOM

This study tests the hypothesis of relative constancy in the United Ki ngdom, applying regression techniques to a series of consumer mass med ia expenditures from 1963 to 1989. The analysis confirms a long-term c onstancy of mass media spending, regardless of variations in disposabl e personal income and the passage of time. During the entire 27-year p eriod, U.K. consumers spent a relatively stable share of their disposa ble personal income on mass media. A separate analysis of data from 19 80 to 1989 also reveals that they devoted an increasing share of their income to mass media in the last decade, largely because of the intro duction of video hardware and software.