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  • Jul, 2012

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    Reading Newspapers

    Q. How often do you read newspapers (in print, not online)?

     

    Total

    Aged 18-34

    Aged 35-54

    Aged 55+

    Visit news websites daily

    Visit news websites a few times a week

    Visit news websites about once a week

    Visit news websites less often

    Never visit news websites

    Daily

    24%

    15%

    25%

    34%

    34%

    20%

    19%

    14%

    19%

    A few times a week

    23%

    24%

    25%

    18%

    22%

    31%

    14%

    24%

    14%

    About once a week

    22%

    20%

    22%

    24%

    19%

    28%

    37%

    15%

    14%

    Less often

    22%

    30%

    19%

    16%

    19%

    15%

    24%

    39%

    17%

    Never

    9%

    11%

    9%

    8%

    6%

    6%

    6%

    7%

    35%

    24% said they read newspapers daily and 69% read at least once a week.

    Older respondents read newspapers more frequently – 34% of those aged 55+ read daily. 28% of those on higher incomes ($1,600+ pw) read daily compared to 18% of those earning under $600 pw.

    Those who visit news websites frequently also read newspapers more frequently – 34% of those visiting news websites daily also read newspapers daily.

  • Jul, 2012

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    Concern about Newspapers Closing

    Q. How concerned are you about the possibility that in the next few years, most daily newspapers will stop publishing?

     

    Total

    Vote ALP

    Vote Lib

    Vote Greens

    Aged 18-34

    Aged 35-54

    Aged 55+

    Read daily

    Read a few times/ week

    Read about once / week

    Read less often/

    never

    Very concerned

    24%

    31%

    21%

    15%

    18%

    22%

    34%

    52%

    23%

    14%

    9%

    Somewhat concerned

    24%

    25%

    27%

    29%

    21%

    26%

    25%

    26%

    34%

    24%

    16%

    A little concerned

    29%

    19%

    32%

    29%

    31%

    30%

    24%

    14%

    31%

    35%

    34%

    Not at all concerned

    19%

    20%

    16%

    27%

    23%

    17%

    16%

    7%

    11%

    25%

    29%

    Don’t know

    5%

    5%

    3%

    1%

    8%

    4%

    2%

    1%

    *

    3%

    12

    48% were very or somewhat concerned about the possibility of most daily newspapers closing in the next few years and 48% were only a little or not at all concerned. 78% of those who read daily were very/somewhat concerned – and 52% were very concerned.

    Those most concerned were women (53% very/somewhat), aged 55+ (59%) and Victorians (59%).

  • Jul, 2012

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    Government Support for Newspapers

    Q. Would you approve or disapprove of the Australian Government taking action to maintain the publication of daily newspapers?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Read daily

    Read a few times a week

    Read about once a week

    Read less often/

    never

    Total approve

    52%

    59%

    49%

    45%

    68%

    63%

    44%

    37%

    Total disapprove

    27%

    23%

    32%

    33%

    20%

    22%

    38%

    29%

    Strongly approve

    17%

    21%

    14%

    12%

    32%

    18%

    14%

    6%

    Approve

    35%

    38%

    35%

    33%

    36%

    45%

    30%

    31%

    Disapprove

    20%

    18%

    23%

    22%

    12%

    15%

    32%

    21%

    Strongly disapprove

    7%

    5%

    9%

    11%

    8%

    7%

    6%

    8%

    Don’t know

    21%

    18%

    18%

    22%

    12%

    15%

    18%

    35%

    52% would approve of the Australian Government taking action to maintain the publication of daily newspapers and 27% disapproved.

    Those most likely to approve were women (59%), Victorians (59%) and Labor voters (59%).

  • Jun, 2012

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    Are newspapers dying?


    Stuart Washington says technology is transforming journalism but just how our future media will look is still unknown.

    The massive cuts to Fairfax and News Limited is part of the worldwide trend pitting newspapers against online media.

    But what will bloggers and twitterers “link” to if traditional media is decimated? Who will fund investigative journalism? And will opinion be reduced to the “comments” section of blogs where extreme views and abuse proliferate?

    International digital businesses like Google, Apple and Facebook are radically changing (and profiting) from the new media landscape yet pay minimal tax rates. Google paid just $74,000 in taxes in Australia last year despite $1 billion in revenue, while traditional media companies are struggling to stay afloat as their advertising clients drift to the cheaper and trackable world of online.

    Fairfax journalist Stuart Washington tells 3Q his concerns about the brave new digital world.

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