A survey commissioned by paper and print advocated Two Sides Australia shows 72 per cent of Australians prefer to read printed books and magazines in print over digital platforms, and 56 per cent prefer to read news in print.
When it comes to choosing how they receive bills and statements from financial organisations and service providers whether it be printing or electronically 86 per cent of Australians believe consumers should have the right to choose how they receive them without being charged.
And some 69 per cent of Australians say keeping hard copies at home is the safest and most secure way of storing information.
The good news for the beleaguered print industry came from Two Sides, which commissioned a survey for 10,700 consumers, carried out by research company Toluna held in 10 different countries including Australia and New Zealand.
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Kellie Northwood, executive director, Two Sides Australia said, “We wanted to survey Australian and New Zealand consumers as part of a global survey to offer a representative voice to any regional differences in these two consumer markets for one of the largest and most established media channels – print.
“Local findings are consistent with the global results and report a strong resentment of online advertising in both Australia (72 per cent) and New Zealand (76 per cent) consumers saying they do not pay attention to online advertisements. The survey results in our region indicate consumers have a preference for print over online,”
With the results of the survey, 47 per cent of Australians read a printed book at least once a week while only 24 per cent use an e-reader. When reading from print media 61 per cent of respondents gain a deeper understanding, however 67 per cent regularly read news on a digital device but 59 per cent would be concerned if printed newspapers disappeared.
Some 47 per cent of people plan to read more news online in the future, but only 22 per cent trust the news found on social media, and three quarters of respondents say they are concerned about fake news. Two thirds agreed that it is important to switch off and enjoy printed books and magazines, and 52 per cent are concerned the overuse of electronic devices could be damaging to health (eyestrain, sleep deprivation, headaches).
When it comes to reading catalogues in print 63 per cent would prefer to read print than digital, 72 per cent of Australians do not pay attention to online advertisements, and 67 per cent find online advertisements annoying.
Northwood says, “Australian and New Zealand findings highlight that consumers value and engage with paper and print. With media indexes reporting digital advertising growth has slowed, marketers looking to develop consumer trust, connection and engagement are tapping back into the power of print.”
To find out more about this report and the conclusions, TSA Limited will be hosting a webinar for their members and stakeholders on October 10 at 12pm AEDT.
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