Digital news overtakes printed papers for first time says Ofcom
Media watchdog Ofcom has reported that the number of people using browsing websites and apps to obtain their daily fix of news now exceeds numbers reading newspapers for the first time.
Ofcom’s latest News Consumption study reports that 41 per cent of people make use of the internet to stay abreast of current affairs, marginally more than the 40 per cent of people who rely on printed newspapers.
Both mediums remain dwarfed by the importance of TV however with fully 75 per cent accessing news in this manner, although the web remains the fastest growing medium rising from just 32 per cent a year ago whilst newspaper readership has flatlined.
For its part radio news is listened to by 36 per cent of the UK population.
Attributing the growth in digital to those aged 16-24 who make use of the likes of Facebook, Whatsapp and Twitter for the bulk of their news – suggesting that the trend is likely to accelerate going forward.