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Print Media Still Viable Entertainment Source

Though the majority of Americans (65%) in a recent survey say they go online to learn about daily breaking news, print magazines remain one of the top sources for entertainment, advice and lifestyle information, according to (pdf) findings from The Rosen Group.

The survey found that, despite a growing preference for online news sites, print magazines (27%) are a leading entertainment source. Nearly 80% of respondents say they they subscribe to magazines (vs. 53% for newspapers). Online magazine readership also lags print by a significant margin: Only 7% seek out their favorite magazines online, the survey found.

These findings suggest that, though there is a strong shift to online news consumption and a preference for online sources for breaking news, Americans, to some degree, still find print publications to be important sources, especially for entertainment, according to Lori Rosen, founder and president of The Rosen Group.

“People are looking online for news and lifestyle information, but they are not abandoning their print editions,” said Rosen. “There is still a certain satisfaction and ease to holding printed text in your hands, and PDAs or PCs will not replace this just yet.”

Other survey findings:

• The largest percentage of respondents (29%) say a news website is the most indispensible news source, while 18% select print newspapers and 16% cite online newspapers.
• 55% say they still look at a printed newspaper each day, 53% subscribe to a print newspaper and 83% say newspapers are still relevant.
• 30% say news websites are their top source for updates, while 66% say that websites are among their daily news sources.
• 65% of respondents find weekly news magazines relevant.
• When asked if newspapers and magazines will exist in 10 years, nearly half of those surveyed (45%) say yes, while 40% remain uncertain.
• When asked how often they read blogs, 29% of respondents read blogs multiple times a day, 8% read them once a week, 37% read them occasionally and 37% never read them.
• 60% of respondents believe the information on blogs is not credible.

About the survey: Using online tool Survey Monkey, The Rosen Group polled 316 respondents ages 12-75, from February 18-23, 2009.