Posted in on August 13, 2013

Mobile News Reading Increases, Though Print Newspapers Maintain Hold On Seniors

A substantial number of us are now taking our news on the go, reports eMarketer. 62% of 45-54 year olds (younger Baby Boomers) and 64% of 55-64 year olds (leading edge Boomers) who use smartphones are now consuming news on that device. In fact, more than 1/2 of smartphone users at every age are reading news that way, except 65+ers (older Boomers and seniors). Because of the small text size and lower mobile adoption rates, only 35% read news on their smartphones.

The data also shows that if you’re targeting older adults, print newspapers should continue to be an important part of your marketing plan. Comparing the first quarter of 2012 to the first quarter of 2013, print news subscriptions fell among every age group EXCEPT 65+ seniors.

Chart - print newspaper subscriptions fell for every age group but 65+ seniors

As the  Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute study noted:

“This [65+] age group, which includes a high percentage of retirees and a relatively low percentage of mobile news consumers, now has the most newspaper subscribers. The aging of print news consumers is clearly evident in our survey results. Last year slightly less than half of the newspaper subscribers were age 55 or older. This year they accounted for 61 percent.”

The study also notes that even among 45+ print subscribers there has been a big increase in mobile news consumption.  “Respondents in the 45-54 age group had the most rapid transition to mobile media and the highest percentage of [print newspaper] cancellations among mobile news consumers in the past 12 months.”

Many of these older mobile news readers are using tablets. More on that device later this week.

Read the eMarketer post: http://bit.ly/17IBDrf

Read the source study from Reynolds Journalism Institutehttp://www.rjionline.org/research

RELATED: Who Pays for News? 50 Plus Boomers and Seniors

 

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