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.
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%).
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%).
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.
Essential Report
Two Party Preferred: 14 May 2019
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