Book Reading in Leisure Time: Long‐Term changes in young peoples' book reading habits

Abstract

Visual and ICT media are often perceived as a threat to book reading in leisure time. They are accused of taking time and interest away from children and adolescents' book reading by offering them more approachable alternatives. Children and adolescents' book reading habits and the way these habits have changed over time are in focus. Is there any cause for concern regarding reading interest in the ever‐hardening media competition? The main questions are: how have children and adolescents' reading habits changed during the past 25 years? In what way are reading habits related to social background, age and gender? Is it reasonable to maintain that TV and other media take time from book reading? The analysis is based on quantitative data from the longitudinal research programme Media Panel. The reading habits of two age groups, 11–12‐year‐olds and 15–16‐year‐olds, are analysed at eight successive points in time between 1976 and 2002. The new media introduced into the media environment during each period have characterised the different media contexts.