Norwegian Media Barometer 2020

Norwegian Media Barometer is a publication based on Statistics Norway’s annual survey about the population’s use of media. In the survey a representative sample of the total population aged 9-79 years, answers questions regarding their use of media, and access to media in their homes. Included is also media usage split in weekdays and different seasons. The first survey was conducted in 1991, and except for 1993, the survey has been conducted annually since. The 2020-survey is based on 1 698 interviews and achieved a response-rate of 56.9 percent. The Covid-19 pandemic has made its mark on 2020 and this will be further discussed in chapter 1.

On an average day in 2020, 24 percent of the population read printed newspapers, compared to 27 percent in 2019. The percentage who read printed newspapers has decreased while there is an increase in the percentage who read online newspapers and news sites. Printed newspapers and online newspapers combined, have increased their overall coverage of the population on an average day, from 73 percent to 77 percent in 2020.

49 percent of the population listens to radio in 2020, including those who listens to online radio. 39 percent used a DAB-radio on an average day.

48 percent of the population watch television on an average day, the yearly decline of linear-TV has flattened out in 2020. More Norwegians have chosen to watch news on linear-TV in 2020, with an increase of 9 percent points resulting in 62 percent watching TV-news on an average day.

Video- and film media have increased in popularity, from 43 percent of the population watching this in 2019, to 51 on an average day in 2020. This includes DVDs, hard disk recorders and video/film files either downloaded or streamed. Over the last few years a smaller proportion watch DVDs, Blu-rays, and 12 percent watched downloaded video content, whereas 83 percent of those who watch video- and film media, streamed the content they watched.

57 percent of the population listens to sound media an average day. This includes vinyl records, CDs, MP3s, downloaded and streamed music as well as podcasts and audiobooks. Eight out of ten listeners choose to stream, and nine out of ten listeners choose to listen on their mobile phones.

Nine out of ten use the internet daily. Close to everyone in the age group 13-44 are online on an average day. Almost everyone between the age of 9-44 spend time on the internet on an average day, whereas those between 67-79 years, 68 percent use the internet daily. Time spent on the internet continues to increase in all age groups.

Digital games are played by 35 percent of the population on an average day, and throughout the population half an hour is spent gaming. Children in the age group 9-15 years are the ones that spend the most time playing digital games. In general, men spend more time on digital gaming, averaging on 28 minutes more than women on an average day.

One in four read books during an average day and have since 2012. A higher percentage of women read books than men. The highest percentages of book readers are found in the oldest and the youngest age groups. In 2020 the percentage of female book readers in the age group 16-24 have decreased from 27 percent in 2019 to only 14 percent in 2020.

In 2020, 4 percent of the population read weeklies daily. Women and the older population are the most eager readers of these. 3 percent read printed cartoons on an average day and the readers are mostly children. 5 percent read magazines and scientific journals, and these are mostly read by adults with higher education.

Access to internet is on the same level as the previous last 3 years with 89 percent coverage. 96 percent have their own smart phone, and in total 99 percent have a mobile phone.

The average number of visitors to the cinema has decreased in 2020. 67 percent have been to the cinema the last 12 months in the 2020 survey, against 75 percent in the 2019 survey. The average number of visits per person, to the cinema was 2.3 the last 12 months in the 2020 survey, and 3.2 to in the 2019 survey. 2.3 on average in 2020, is a whole visit less than almost all previous years the survey has been conducted.