View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
September 4, 2003updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Survey sees leap in appetite for news coverage

By Press Gazette

The proportion of the public interested in news and current affairs has rocketed, according to a new survey.

The “Daily Life” survey – conducted on behalf of the BBC to get a snapshot of everyday living – reveals that nearly two-thirds of both tabloid and broadsheet readers say they are more interested in news and current affairs than they used to be.

Tabloid readers placed more importance on regional news, with 40 per cent saying they found news from their own region the most interesting – twice as many as among broadsheet readers.

Also, tabloid readers tended to watch more television, with 18.5 per cent of their day (4.4 hours) spent in front of the box, as opposed to 15 per cent (3.6 hours) for broadsheet readers. Tabloid readers were more likely to say they could not live without TV (59 per cent) against 45 per cent of broadsheet readers.

Broadsheet readers spent longer reading the paper, 2.6 per cent of their day against 1.8 per cent for tabloid readers. Thirty-nine per cent of broadsheet readers used the internet on an average day, against 28 per cent of tabloid readers.

Broadsheet readers were more likely to read a book – 36 per cent against 22 per cent for tabloid readers.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

The survey covered 6,000 licence-fee payers and resulted in 18,000 days worth of information. The survey has been conducted every decade since 1930 and aims to track changes in the way people spend their time and consume media. It was carried out in conjunction with Taylor Nelson Sofres.

By Wale Azeez

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network