Newspaper readership still holds a great amount of value to citizens in an increasingly digital dominated landscape. On top of keeping us up-to-date with the latest stories, print and digital newspapers provide readers with many of the benefits associated with reading overall.
Reading different newspapers can aid our learning and personal development, increasing language skills, critical thinking and even civic engagement. On the whole, it is considered a timeless hobby that can allow individuals of different ages and backgrounds to feel knowledgeable, inspired and empowered.
- One US study found that 56% of consumers trust news stories when they are printed in newspapers, whereas just 35% trust news they read in social media.
- In the US, 87% of people that read newspapers feel a responsibility to positively influence their communities.
- 74% of Americans feel that local newspapers are important for defining the culture of a community.
- 64% of readers with a preference for print say that physical newspapers make it easier for them to read.
- Newspaper readers tend to be interested in the newspapers they read as a source of information, rather than entertainment.
- People that read newspapers regularly are more likely to be informed and active in local government and politics than non-readers.
- Compared to TV news watchers, newspaper readers are more likely to have a four-year degree.
- People that read newspapers regularly are more likely to be able to identify foreign countries on a map and answer simple questions about them when compared to those that get their news from TV.
- Children whose parents read newspapers are more likely to read the newspaper themselves in later life.
Preferred method of news consumption
As of 2023, news consumers across different age groups in Great Britain were asked to state their preferred method of news consumption.
- Reading news was the preferred or joint preferred method of news consumption for 3 out of the 4 age groups analyzed.
- For the 18-24 age group, 34% of consumers preferred to read news (2nd), whereas 35% of consumers preferred to watch news (1st).
- For the 25-49 age group, 45% of consumers preferred to read news (1st), whereas 24% of consumers preferred to watch news (2nd).
- For the 50-64 age group, 40% of consumers preferred to read news (1st), whereas 36% of consumers preferred to watch news (2nd).
- For the 65+ age group, 41% of consumers preferred to read news and 41% preferred to watch news (joint 1st).
- For all ages given (average), 42% of consumers preferred to read news (1st), whereas 32% of consumers preferred to watch news (2nd).
| Preference | Age 18-24 | Age 25-49 | Age 50-64 | Age 65+ | All ages given |
| Read news | 34% | 45% | 40% | 41% | 42% |
| Watch news | 35% | 24% | 36% | 41% | 32% |
| Listen to news | 9% | 16% | 14% | 12% | 13% |
| Unsure | 3% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 3% |
| Doesn’t follow news | 19% | 11% | 8% | 5% | 10% |
A graph is given below to show the preferred methods of news consumption across different age groups:
Common opinions of preferred newspaper(s) from readers
As of 2023, UK newspaper readers were asked to analyze their most commonly read newspaper brands and give opinions on the best aspects of their content.
- 69% of regular newspaper readers highly rate their preferred newspaper(s) for helping them to understand global events.
- 68% of regular newspaper readers highly rate their preferred newspaper(s) for being of high quality.
- 67% of regular newspaper readers highly rate their preferred newspaper(s) for being important to them personally.
| Opinion | Percentage of newspaper readers |
| Helps reader understand global events | 69% |
| High quality | 68% |
| Important to reader personally | 67% |
| Accurate | 66% |
| Trustworthy | 66% |
| Offers different opinions | 66% |
| Exclusive depth of content and analysis | 64% |
| Helps reader make up mind | 64% |
| Is impartial | 61% |
A graph is given below to show common opinions of preferred newspaper(s) from readers:
Why should people read newspapers?
As with a daily reading habit, there are a number of reasons for people to read newspapers, which when combined can have significant positive effects on a person’s life.
- Reading newspapers can be a healthy habit that expands a person’s knowledge and widens their outlook.
- They can provide detailed information on topics including politics, economics, trade, sports and entertainment which can increase our understanding of the world.
- Local, national and international news stories are available to readers through reading a variety of newspaper brands, keeping people informed of issues that affect people of different backgrounds.
- Newspapers are known to attract more affluent audiences across both print and digital editions.
- Physical papers allow readers to be more attentive and engaged to the stories they contain, as they contain fewer distractions when compared to digital newspapers.
- However, digital newspaper websites enable stories to be released throughout the day, expanding coverage and can encourage users to comment and debate issues.