Digital format is popular among those who prefer news stories and professional literature, while the fiction literature is mostly preferred in paper format.
MOSCOW, October 4, 2018. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a survey devoted to the format respondents choose to read news, fiction and professional literature.
Russians prefer to read digital news (67%): this format is basically popular among young respondents (18-24) and men (89% and 72%, respectively).
Fiction literature is preferred in paper format (56%), although 27% choose the digital one. Two-thirds of women (66%) appreciate paper-based books (vs 43% of men).
As to professional literature, 42% of respondents read it in digital format, and 33% in paper. Young respondents aged 18-24 opt for digital versions (60%), whereas paper books attract older generation respondents (40% among persons aged 60 and over).
The VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on September 8, 2018. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
What type of literature do you read? (closed-ended question, one answer per each line, % of total respondents) | ||||
| Electronic version | Paper version | I almost never read | Don’t know |
Fiction | 27 | 56 | 16 | 1 |
Professional, scientific, educational books | 42 | 33 | 23 | 2 |
News, news stories | 67 | 21 | 10 | 2 |
In what format do you usually read fiction books? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | 60 and over | Men | Women |
Electronic | 27 | 44 | 43 | 38 | 24 | 7 | 34 | 22 |
Paper | 56 | 44 | 40 | 45 | 61 | 74 | 43 | 66 |
Almost never read | 16 | 11 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 21 | 11 |
Don’t know | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
In what format do you usually read professional, scientific, educational books? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | 60 and over | Men | Women |
Electronic | 42 | 60 | 59 | 53 | 39 | 18 | 46 | 38 |
Paper | 33 | 28 | 23 | 27 | 39 | 40 | 29 | 36 |
Almost never read | 23 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 21 | 38 | 23 | 23 |
Don’t know | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
In what format do you usually read news stories, news articles? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | 60 and over | Men | Women |
Electronic | 67 | 89 | 86 | 75 | 68 | 39 | 72 | 62 |
Paper | 21 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 24 | 41 | 17 | 25 |
Almost never read | 10 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 10 | 10 |
Don’t know | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!