IT's interesting you consider it that way. I feel the opposite. I feel like audio is easier to use as background noise than video, because I don't have to commit to it. I can play Skyrim or Minecraft and listen to an episode of this American Life, or Welcome to Night Vale, and sorta zone out.
Absolutely. I do the same. But in terms of interacting online and absorbing audio, it doesn't work in the same way. I listen to This American Life and Planet Money regularly in the car or while cleaning. But I don't listen to them when I'm online.
That's interesting. You're right. I don't do the same online either. The closest I can think of is while drawing on my computer via tablet, but that doesn't really count as being "online," is it? If I were using a notepad to do art, it wouldn't be any different.