The majority (74%) of Americans, or nearly 171 million people, read a newspaper in print or online during the past week, according to a new report by Scarborough Research.
“While our data does show that print newspaper readership is slowly declining, it also illustrates that reports about the pending death of the newspaper industry are not supported by audience data,” said Gary Meo, Senior Vice President of Print and Digital Media Services.
“Given the fragmentation of media choices, printed newspapers are holding onto their audiences relatively well and this is refreshing news.”
Highlights of the report include:
- 79% of adults employed in white collar positions read a newspaper in print or online
- 82% of adults with household incomes of $100,000 or more read a printed newspaper in print or online
- 84% of adults who are college graduates or who have advanced degrees read a printed newspaper in print or online
“Printed newspapers have been a trusted source of news and information for decades, and many newspapers have continued that tradition by successfully extending their brands into the digital space,” said Meo.
“In doing so, they are attracting an audience that has even stronger socioeconomic status-equally upscale with their print brethren, but younger.”
Circulation, which is audited and reported by the Audit Bureau of Circulations, refers to the number of printed newspaper copies sold. Audience, which is measured by Scarborough and accredited by the Media Rating Council, refers to the percentage of Americans who actually read the newspaper.
“For media buyers, analysts and others who evaluate the health of newspapers and the value of our medium’s advertising, audience is a far more meaningful way to measure newspapers’ ability to attract a growing audience across multiple platforms,” said John F. Sturm, president and CEO of the Newspaper Association of America.
“This important data from Scarborough Research also provides further evidence that newspapers reach a highly educated, affluent audience.”
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