Youth medium newspaper
Contrary to popular belief, young people still read newspapers. But newspapers are only one medium among many. This is shown by the latest Mediabrands study from Publicom.
The fact that young people don't read newspapers is one of the ineradicable standard statements made at media policy discussions and marketing conferences. The current Mediabrands 2014 brand study by the media consultancy Publicom comes to a more differentiated conclusion. The representative survey, which is conducted annually, ascertains the media usage and perception of media brands among more than 3'200 Swiss people. According to a Publicom statement, the newspaper, which has often been pronounced dead, is surprisingly vital.
Of the classic media, the newspaper is still very popular. Only eleven percent of the under-30s had not used a printed or digital newspaper at all in the three months prior to the time of the survey. Together with television, which scored only one percent better, they are therefore among the most-used classic media in this age group. Radio, magazines, cinema and books are of much less interest to young people.
90 percent of boys can be reached with newspapers
Almost 90 percent of this age group can thus be reached with newspapers. However, it is not exclusively printed newspapers. Rather, young people's newspaper reading is spread across all available channels, print, online and mobile. This situational media use across a wide range of channels is characteristic of the young generation. Rather surprisingly, however, print is still by far the most efficient newspaper channel: more than 70 percent of the age group can be reached with printed newspapers. Only just under one-fifth consume newspapers exclusively in digital form. Nevertheless, the medium is struggling with a problem: In the subjective perception of the young, the newspaper only has a low status. It is a sideline medium that no longer has the existential significance that it does for the older generation.
Image: Keystone
