Pew Research finds great engagement with news sources; revenue doubts remain
It may turn out that “saved the news business” will someday be added to the legacy of Steve Jobs.
That’s because tablets such as the iPad are proving to be better catalysts for consistent news consumption than were the devices that preceded them, according to new survey data from the Pew Research Center.
While hopeful signs permeate the report, there does remain the sticky matter of revenue: So far, at least, tablet use is not generating much of it. However, even here there appears to be a glimmer of optimism.
The survey of 1,200 tablet owners found that three quarters report using their devices every day for an average of 90 minutes, with just over half consuming news daily, making that activity as popular as any, including e-mail, and more popular than social networking, gaming, reading books and watching video.
“For these early adapters, news is already a big part of their tablet experience – often in ways that expand their daily news diet,” says Amy Mitchell, Deputy Director of Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism, in a press release. “While the signs about revenue potential are mixed, the tablet clearly offers possibilities for news that did not emerge in other technologies.”
On the revenue front, only 14% of those surveyed say they have paid directly for news on their tablets, and of the balance only 21% indicated a willingness to pay $5 a month to a favorite news outlet even if there was no other way to get that content. However, about a quarter of tablet owners report they are getting access to online content through an existing print subscription.
Other findings:
- Brand is important on the tablet. Whether an app comes from “a news organization I like” is as prevalent a factor in the decision to download an app as is low cost. Liking the news organization is a major factor for 84% of those who have apps.
- Substitution is already occurring to large degrees. Fully 90% of tablet news users now consume news on the tablet that they used to access in other ways. The greatest substitution is occurring with news that people used to get from their desktop computer.
- Incidental news reading is prevalent on the tablet. Nearly nine-in-ten (88%) of those who read long articles in the last seven days ended up reading articles they were not initially seeking out. In addition, 41% went back and read past articles or saved articles for future reading.
The full report can be read here.
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