Appetite for print remains strong among i-generation
National Readership Survey shows 15- to 24-year-olds buck print media trend.
Young people who are “digital natives” still value print editions of newspapers and magazines, according to the National Readership Survey (NRS).
The 15- to 24-year-old group most actively using new technology read 24% more print titles than the average British adult, says the NRS.
The trade body, which measures readership of print titles, points out the 2.5 million people in this age range are “often labelled the most likely age group to give up on traditional media”.
However, the data shows that whereas all 15- to 24-year olds surveyed claim to read seven titles on average, those who actively consume four or more different types of technology read an average of just under nine titles.
The data was gathered between January and September 2009, during which time the NRS interviewed 3,218 respondents aged between 15 and 24.
Newspapers with above average penetration of this age group include The Independent and Daily Star along with technology, gaming and musimagazines.
NRS chief executive Mike Ironside comments: “Maybe the future of traditional publishing isn’t as bleak as many people think.”
However, the latest ABC figures for national newspapers showed an overall decline of 3.05% in average net circulation for weekday papers for the six months June to November, year on year. Sunday titles dropped 5.51% for the period.
