Are newspapers dead — at least among teens and twentysomethings? Does the group we lump together as “young people” have no interest in reading news in print?
That question is generating a lot of debate among media pros. Steve Outing, a former newspaper man who moved to Internet journalism in 1994, thinks newspapers just don’t appeal to the younger generation.
In a recent post on his blog, he said, “It should be obvious by now that reading habits — especially among younger people but certainly not limited to them — lead away from print.
“I have 2 daughters, and I just can’t imagine them ever reading a print edition. It won’t happen, and no amount of newspaper industry marketing is going to convince the younger generation that reading dated news on a dead-tree edition is the way to go.”
He says new technology like the Apple iPhone will be the doom of newspapers, since they provide a highly mobile device for reading online news that is continually updated.
Mythology of young people as readers
Outing’s premise relies on a generalized — and stereotypical — view of the younger generation. It is a view that perpetuates the following five myths outlined by Gavin Rheeder, marketing communications manager of Beeld, an Afrikaans daily:
- Young people are part of an homogenous group.
- Young people don’t like to read.
- Young people don’t like newspapers.
- Young people prefer soft news.
- Young people prefer slang to proper English.
What the numbers tell us
So what does the research about newspaper readers actually tell us? It tells us that newspaper readers come in all ages, although the older the age group, the higher the percentage of newspaper readers.
Here are the age-related readership figures from a recent study by the Newspaper Association of America:
Age 18-24: 37% read daily newspapers; 44% read Sunday papers
Age 25-34: 35% read daily newspapers; 45% read Sunday papers
Age 35-44: 47% read daily newspapers; 56% read Sunday papers
Age 45-54: 56% read daily newspapers; 64% read Sunday papers
Age 55-64: 52% read daily newspapers; 68% read Sunday papers
Age 65+: 68% read daily newspapers; 72% read Sunday papers
What’s more, 80 percent of these newspaper readers also access the online version of the print newspaper within a seven-day period, according to another study recently released by the Newspaper National Network. So there is considerable crossover between print and Web among readers.
What do you think about these issues?
- Are newspapers dead — at least among the younger generation?
- Are the five characteristics listed above true of young people today?
- As a young person, do you see yourself as a newspaper reader 5, 10, or 20 years into the future?
Newswriting students from Fall 2007 posted their views on these questions to our Newswriting course blog. Feel free to add yours.
13 responses so far ↓
Morning Lineup - December 28 | Firegeezer.com // December 28, 2008 at 8:08 am |
[...] Source: Newspaper Association of America. [...]
Brandi M. Rogers // September 20, 2007 at 3:22 pm |
1. I do not see the newpapers as DEAD, but I do see how they can be seen as dying. With the internet becoming the more popular and convient source, it can make the newspaper have no comparison. Among the younger generation, we are much more technology prone and seek information in the quickest, most updated form possible. Thus, adding the the decline of newpaper as a resource.
2. I do not believe that we of the things that we are considered to be. It is not so much the we do not like to read, and we do not like the newspaper, it is because of the types of articles placed in newspapers. When you go online there is so much more to explore about an article and a much wider range of articles to be researched. As compare to the newspaper, it is very direct, limited, and more local. Sometimes we just seek to reach beyond what the newspaper can provide.
3. I honestly can see myself continuing to read the newspaper in the future. I am a reader, and I would much rather read from print, than sit in front of a screen. Though, with my busy schedule today and HAVING to use computers so much, the internet may be the best resource for me, eventually that will fade out. It is my goal to become a writer for a magazine (which is a form of print). Therefore, I can never turn my back on this form/ style of news.
Daniel Hauenstein // September 20, 2007 at 3:03 pm |
1. I wouldn’t go as far as saying newspapers are dead, but i don’t see a whole lot of young people reading them. The internet and web news are easier to access for students, and when a student might be on the computer several hours a day, why would they go look for a news paper when everything they need is a click a way.
2. For the most part, the five characteristics are somewhat true. There are people who break those trends though. I for one, wouldn’t like to read a news story in slang. I would prefer proper English. They are true for some people, and untrue for others.
3. Yes, I do see myself picking up a newspaper every now and then. If it is available, and at some point i am going to have to know what is going on in the world and around my community without having to search for it on the computer or stare at a television.
Josh Fox // September 20, 2007 at 2:27 pm |
I don’t believe that newspapers are dead. I do see a lack of comitment among members of my generation (Generation X). For example, I was taking to a group of my cousins at a recent family function and I asked three of them, Do you read a daily newspaper? Surprisingly, they told me, no they do not subscribe to any local paper.
I can’t say this goes for everyone because I read the Akron Beacon Journal about fifty percent of the time. I also like to read New York Times on Sunday.
You can’t say that young people do not read. However, much of this has to do with what region you come from. According to the statistics people in Seattle love to read. People in Huntsburg, Alabama, not so much.
I will always read the newspaper because it helps me feel connected to the world.
I think the five characteristics listed above are
Are the five characteristics listed above true of young people today?
As a young person, do you see yourself as a newspaper reader 5, 10, or 20 years into the future?
Tim Ingram // September 20, 2007 at 1:41 pm |
1. I don’t think that newspapers are dead amongst the younger generation. It’s not that younger people do not like to read, it’s the fact that reading is pressed as a chore in school, and therefor it is not viewed as a recreational activity.
2. There is only one statement that I find true about our younger generation, and that is that they prefer slang. Slang will always be a part of English, some words even find their way into our dictionaries (i.e. bling, and crunk). Just beacause the younger crowd may use slang does not mean that they prefer to read it. It’s not as if they cannot comprehend what is being said if it is not put in slang.
3.I see myself as a life-long newspaper reader. I’ve always prefered to read the newspaper. I don’t know how other people feel, but as much of the newspaper I read, I would have an awful headache staring at a computer screen for that amount of time. Computers are a great source of information, but as a society we need to rely less on machines as a souce of fulfillment.
Amani Abraham // September 20, 2007 at 1:20 pm |
1. I personally do not believe that newspapers are dead among my generation. Although, I do believe that in the future, the newspaper readers will decline dramatically.
2. I do not believe those five characteristics are true. I love hard news and generally prefer it than soft news. I also do not prefer slang over proper English. I also love to read anything I can get my hands on.
3. I think that in 20 years I will still be reading the newspaper, but I do believe that I will be getting most of my information on T.V and online. Reading for some is a hobby and as long as it stays that way, we will continue reading.
Jena S. // September 20, 2007 at 8:53 am |
1. I don’t think that newspapers are dead, but I do think that they could be in the future. People of this generation, more so than our parents generation aren’t as interested in reading about the things that we probably should be more interested in. I think that it’s just going to get worse and worse as we get older. I feel as if newspapers got spiced up a bit and aimed more stories and articles towards college students and high school students and perhaps even younger then it could possibly change the newspaper world around.
2. I don’t believe that all of those statements are true. I know of a lot of people my age who like to read, and i don’t think that people my age dislike newspapers, I just think that they feel as if there is nothing in there that is going to interest them enough to like it. I do think that young people would prefer soft news over hard news. I’m not entirely sure if I believe that young people would prefer slang over proper english, but it would however, probably draw their attention to newspapers more so they don’t feel like it’s something older people are supposed to be reading and not them.
3. I can see myself as a newspaper reader 20 years from now for the mere fact that writing news is what I want to do with my life. I would like to see the newspaper world change though and become something that people of all ages WANT to read.
Nick Cosentino // September 18, 2007 at 6:10 pm |
1. I don’t believe that newspapers are totally dead. I enjoy grabbing a newspaper and reading it, but other mediums are giving more options now to their news.
2. I don’t feel that the five characteristics that you have listed are true among all young people. I enjoy reading, and newspapers, and I prefer hard news over soft.
3.If newspapers are around in 20 years I most likely will read them.
Katie Breen // September 18, 2007 at 5:07 pm |
1. To me newpapers aren’t totally dead. I do like going to starbucks and getting some coffee and reading the newpaper. But I also feel the internet is more accessable and my fingers don’t turn black .
2. I don’t feel they are true. Maybe it is because I am a communications major and everyone around me reads the the Buchtelite and we use slang but also can talk in proper English.
3. I don’t see myself being a newspaper reader. As phones and laptops become more portable and easier to use I see myself using these to access information about current events.
Sarah Ali // September 18, 2007 at 3:58 pm |
1. I would have to say that newspapers may not be dead completly but they are on the way out. I know I rarely read then. The internet makes getting the news way too easy.
2. I agree with most of the five characteristics for some young people today, but not for all. I know for myself, I love to read but not newspapers. My best friend on the other hand won’t leave the house untill she has read the daily paper.
3. I have already stated, I don’t read the newspaper very often right now. I do not see myself reading it in 5 years let alone 20. I would much rather read just the sunday paper and get all my news from the internet and television.
Bree // September 16, 2007 at 1:27 pm |
1. I wouldn’t go as far as saying that newspapers are dead, but do I agree with Steve Outing that
“…this new era is about sampling many news brands and not just one in a print edition.”
2. I do not find the five characteristics listed above to be true of ALL young people today, but I would accept that a majority of persons falling into this age category would identify themselves with the five characteristics.
3. As a young person, I do see myself as a newspaper reader 5, 10, or 20 years into the future. I do not see myself relying strictly on the paper edition for my daily dose of news.
Paula Maggio // September 14, 2007 at 12:14 pm |
Steve, thanks for your response to my post on newspaper readership and the younger generation. I appreciate the clarification and your reinforcement of the idea that the Web is a great way for people to connect.
It will be interesting to see what the students in my University of Akron Newswriting course think about this topic.
I urge you to check back again to read their comments. Maybe you’ll even want to add a link to this post on your blog.
Steve Outing // September 14, 2007 at 12:03 pm |
Just to be clear, I’m not saying that young people won’t read content from newspaper companies as they get older. My point was that print editions will not, as a generalization, yes, be attractive to most of them. It’s about the transition in reading habits, which in this new era is about sampling many news brands and not just one in a print edition. As long as newspaper companies adapt to the desires for digital formats among the younger generation, they’ll perhaps do OK.