Young people prefer to read on-line

In what is an important message for advertisers, a survey by The National Literary Trust has revealed that young people are now much more likely to prefer to read on a computer screen rather than a printed book or magazine.

A clear pattern was visible with the readership of printed newspapers. This has tumbled from 46% in 2005 to 31% in this latest study. In contrast, there are now 41% of these young people who read news stories online.

The Trust, which studied almost 35,000 young people, findings suggest a picture of young people who are now immersed in a screen-based culture.

As well as social networking and browsing websites, the study indicates almost a third of youngsters read fiction on online devices.

The study suggests high levels of access to mobile phones, computers and tablet devices now mean that reading is an activity more likely to be on screen than on the printed page.

Of those surveyed, 52% preferred to read on screen compared with 32% who preferred print, with the remainder having no opinion or preferring not to read at all.

Researchers found that 39% of the young people read every day on computers and screens, compared with 28% who read each day using printed materials.

Technology is central to the lives of these youngsters - 97% reported having access to a computer and the internet at home, 77% said they had their own computer.