When an observer from Ball State's Center for Media Design (CMD) first shadowed a person through the waking hours to log media interaction, it represented an innovative departure in media research and a step up onto the international stage for the university's researchers.

In exploring media behavior, Insight and Research, a part of CMD, has developed a brand of cross-platform media research that uses custom-programmed data collection software and a team of trained observers. The observers track people's media usage, including where they are when using different media, when during the day they use them, when they use more than one at a time, and which other activities they are involved in at the same time.

This work has attracted significant attention and has been defined by some as the new gold standard of media consumption research, especially with regard to concurrent media exposure—like checking your Facebook account while the television blares in the background.

"To date, the vast majority of media research has been undertaken to reflect use of the individual media silos of television, radio, print, and the Web. Our research is not silo-centric, but consumer-centric in that we record media consumer behavior in whatever form it may take," says Mike Bloxham, director of Insight and Research.

"By directly observing a person, we believe we have been able to dive deeper into all media consumption wherever and whenever it may take place, creating a better understanding of our daily lives when it comes interacting with newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and newly emerging media platforms. In essence, we are media neutral in our approach."

As a result, Insight and Research has become a recognized national leader on media consumption. It began in 2004 with the release of the Middletown Media Study, when Ball State observers found that the average person spent an average of nine a day hours interacting with various types of media. A year later, a second, larger study successfully revealed a deeper level of insight into concurrent media exposure than had previously been available.

Insight and Research also has made a significant effort to look at a variety of demographics and media devices through observation. For example, in High School Media Too, researchers examined the media consumption habits of teenagers, a challenging and coveted audience. For Remotely Interested, observers examined the use of the remote control and other behaviors during television watching that impacted attention or exposure to advertising.

In what is now the largest observational study of its kind, Insight and Research has been commissioned by the Nielsen-funded Council for Research Excellence (CRE) to shadows participants through their day, inside and outside the home.

Insight and Research works out of three offices in Muncie, Indiana; Indianapolis; and New York City.