Newspapers 24/7: 2022

News Media Canada has been measuring newspaper readership across different platforms and by time of day since 2012.

The most recent research was conducted in November/December 2021 and confirms the continued strength of newspaper readership in print and digital formats.

Local news is all around us and powers our conversation in all types of settings from first dates, to main street meet-ups to the last video call of the day.

The local newspaper gives you reliable stories to spark that next great conversation.

Download Study Material

Click images below to download study material.

Newspapers 24/7: 2022 PowerPoint Presentation (including speaker notes).

Newspapers 24/7: 2022 Fact Sheet #1

Newspapers 24/7: 2022 Fact Sheet #2

Are newspapers the most trusted media?  

News Media Canada’s latest findings show newspaper readership remains strong in a digital age.

It’s a little overwhelming when you consider how much the world has changed in the last decade. In 2012, tablets had only just established themselves as a viable new content distribution platform, and mobile payments and voice-controlled technology had barely begun to roll out. On social, new-to-the-scene niche platform, Instagram, had recently become part of the Facebook family. The digital age was going mainstream.  So what role could newspapers play …

Click here to continue reading the sponsored article above, originally published in Media in Canada.

Publishers are welcome to run the full sponsored article in their pages or on their sites. Consider pairing it with one of our industry promotion ads from the “Spark Conversation” campaign to create a full page feature.  Click here to view and download ad material.

Study Highlights

Readership remains strong in the digital age.

Nine out of ten adults (86%) read newspapers, in either print or digital format, at least once a week—essentially unchanged from the inaugural study (85%), which was conducted in 2012.

Despite a multitude of media options and digital distractions, readers still turn to traditional news sources.

Newspaper readership is truly multi-platform.

The 2022 report found that 95% of newspaper readers are accessing at least some of their newspaper content online (on phones, computers or tablets).  Almost half of readers (46%) are still reading the printed newspaper and 25% are reading on ALL FOUR platforms.

All platforms (print, desktop/laptop computer, phone and tablet) continue to be used across demographics to access newspaper content. Most print reading happens early in the day, while digital reading is more consistent from morning to night.

Millennial readership might surprise you.

The research specifically looked at the newspaper reading habits of younger Canadians. 87% of Millennials read newspapers weekly, accessing newspaper content primarily through their mobile phones but also across all other platforms.  And 22% of Millennials are using ALL FOUR platforms to feed their appetite for news.

What about trust?

Trust is an important topic these days.  The 2022 Newspapers 24/7 study also finds that trust in newspapers has remained strong.  Looking at editorial content in print, 57% of Canadians say the medium is completely/somewhat trustworthy.  And 54% trust news media websites, which is well ahead of television, radio, magazines, social and search in terms of consumer confidence.

Print and digital news media advertising also outranked the competition in terms of trust in advertising.  No matter how you look at it, newspapers remain a safe space for readers.

Given heightened levels of global mistrust, we’re seeing a clear and continued affinity for the reliable reporting that newspapers provide. Newspapers continue to be the go-to source for credible, trusted, and independent news in both print and digital formats.

Paul Deegan, President and CEO, News Media Canada

About the Study

This is the eighth Newspapers 24/7 study released since 2012.  This study was designed to explore how Canadians read daily and community newspaper content, on different platforms and at different times during the day. Since the first study there have been shifts in reading by platform but one thing has not changed: Canadians continue to access newspaper content across all the various platforms.  In 2012, 85% of Canadians reported that they read newspapers on any platform, over the course of a week and in 2022 that number is 86%.

The 2022 study was conducted in November/December 2021 across all provinces, in English and French and consists of 825 online interviews. This study was funded in part by the Government of Canada.

Results from previous studies are available below.

For more information, contact Kelly Levson, Director of Marketing and Research, at klevson@newsmediacanada.ca.

Government of Canada