Intprin students on newspaper reading

Results: 2008 Newspaper Readership Survey

There were 61 respondents from three sections of INTPRIN (Introduction to the Print Media) or 70% of the class.

Their ages were normally distributed, from 17 to 19, with 18 as the mode.

The respondents graduated from various high schools, mostly from Metro Manila (92%). These schools were reported at least twice: Aquinas, Assumption (5), Ateneo, CKS, CSA, DLSZ, LSGH, PAREF Woodrose, Shekinah, St. Mary's, St. Paul, St. Peter, St. Scho.

Reported Grade Point Averages ranged from 2.1 to 3.842, averaging at 3.045. Thirty-seven respondents reported GPAs upward of 3.0.

57 percent either last read a newspaper more than a month ago, or can't remember when. Only a quarter said they read a newspaper on the day of the survey or the previous day (mean 1.426). Almost half said they never read newspapers (mean 0.754). 38% had a newspaper subscription at their place of residence.

The newspapers cited most frequently were the Inquirer (52%), Star (47%) and Bulletin (33%).

Reported Internet access was very high. All but one said they could connect to the Web from their homes (98%); from school (80%). Yet only 24% said they read the news online more than thrice weekly; 33% said they never read online news.

Compared with other activities like surfing the Web and watching TV, reading news ranked last.

Some consolation. At least the future of Philippine mass communication knew Hannah Montana's real name (79%), Sen. John McCain was the Republican candidate for U.S. president (62%), and that Myanmar (6%) suffered from a cyclone.

They posted 80 'negative' comments about newspapers and 44 'positive' ones. They found newspapers "boring, tedious, depressing, inconvenient, dirty, smelly, obsolete, not attractive, irrelevant." Others thought papers were "Informative, affordable, convenient, credible, entertaining, reliable, relevant" and had more depth.