Lifelong readers start as teens…

Newspapers that offer special content for young people between the ages of 13 and 17 forge a bond that continues as they age, according to a 2006 study conducted by the Newspaper Association of America’s foundation.
A record 220 newspapers across the country offer special teen sections.

“ While many newspapers focus on young adults 18 and over,” says Margaret Vassilikos, senior vice president and treasurer of the NAA Foundation. “Surveys continuously show that children are making decisions about their reading habits at age 13.

Seventy-five percent of those who read teen sections between the ages of 13 and 17 are reading the newspaper at least once a week as adults. That compares with 44 percent of adults who read a newspaper at least once a week but did not read the teen sections as teens.

The NAA Foundation study found five factors for 13 to 17-year-olds that best predict future newspaper readership; 1) if they read the local newspaper in an average week, 2) if they ever read the local newspaper’s teen section, 3) if their parents regularly read the newspaper, 4) if their parents regularly encourage reading the newspaper, and 5) if the newspaper is ever used in classroom discussions.

“ Clearly, there are more factors involved in attracting and keeping young adult readers, but this research shows that a future generation of young readers is out there waiting to be reached. With a sustained and coordinated effort, newspapers can reach it,” says the NAA Foundation.

It is clear that readership of teen sections boost adult readership. Current readership of the newspaper by those young adults who did read the newspaper or teen section between the ages of 13 and 17 is at 78 percent nationally.

Resources:
NAA Foundation 2006 Teen Readership study

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