Norwegian Media Barometer 2018

Norwegian Media Barometer is a publication based on Statistics Norway’s annual survey about the population’s use of mass media. In the survey a representative sample of the total population aged 9-79 years, answer questions regarding their use of mass media, and access to mass media in their homes. Included is also mass media use separated in weekdays and different seasons. The first survey was conducted in 1991, and with exception of 1993, the survey has been conducted annually. In 2018 the survey is based on 1761 interviews with a response rate of 59,3 per cent. The report aims to provide compatible data throughout the years, as well as reflecting the populations variations and change in their use of mass media.

The report shows that throughout the years people in Norway are active newsreaders, but there has been a tendency towards a decline in newspaper reading the later years. 30 per cent of the population reads printed newspapers on an average day, in comparison to 2017, with 32 per cent, and 2016 with 39 per cent of the population. The decline in the share of who reads printed newspapers, and their websites, is not outweighed by the increase in who reads other newspapers online. The report shows that there is a decline in the total per cent of the population who reads newspapers daily.

50 per cent listens to radio, including 10 per cent of the population who listens to internet radio or both. This is a decline since 2017 when it was 54 per cent. 38 per cent listens to DAB-radio. Six out of ten watches television daily, which is 2 percentage points lower than the year before. Time spent watching TV decreased with 6 minutes since 2017. Older persons have the highest viewing rate and spend the most time watching TV. 76 per cent went to the cinema throughout a year, and the frequency of visits has slightly increased.

Half of the population listens to sound media on an average day. This includes vinyl records, CD’s, MP3’s, sound files downloaded from the internet or streaming of sound content. Seven out of ten listeners choose to stream, and eight out of ten listeners choose to listen to sound media with their mobile phone. 37 per cent watch video/film media daily. This includes DVD’s, hard disk recorders and video/film files either downloaded or streamed online. Streaming of online video/film content is the most popular way the younger generations watch video/film media.

91 per cent of the population uses internet daily. Close to everyone between age 13-44 are online throughout an average day, but between the age of 67-79 years, only 69 per use the internet. Time spent on the internet continues to increase in both weekdays and weekends. Digital games are played by 35 per cent of the population and half an hour is on average spent on digital games daily. Children between age 13-15 who play digital games, spend on average 2 hours daily. Boys and young men are the most eager gamers.

One in four reads books during an average day, and women are still the most eager book readers. In 2018 the daily share of female book readers is double the share of readers among men. During the recent three years, 5 per cent of the population read weeklies daily and women and the older population are the most eager readers. 3 percent read printed cartoons and their readers are mostly children. 6 per cent reads magazines and scientific journals and this mostly popular among highly educated individuals.

38 per cent subscribes to printed newspapers, 4 percentage points lower than in 2017. 22 per cent subscribe to online newspapers and this has increased from 20 per cent last year. 72 per cent has access to DAB-radio at home. 98 per cent has access to internet at home, and 95 per cent has a smart phone.