Research Note: Young People and Patterns of Time Consumption in Relation to Print Media

Abstract

This article evaluates trends in young people's reading habits. In order to get a better understanding of reading habits, the article compares the results of comparative and longitudinal research with results of time budget analysis studies. In accordance with the principle of displacement, time consumption analysis confirms a relationship between television viewing time and reading time, although many variables are influential in this process. Time budget analysis also indicates that the decline in reading time has not been equal across different print media. The article presents the results of a research project that combined qualitative and quantitative research techniques to analyse the media usage of Flemish 16-to 18-year-olds. The results demonstrate that reading is influenced by many different variables, among which socializing variables are the strongest. The hypothesis that television viewing time has a negative effect on reading time has to be differentiated since the results show a different relationship between viewing time and the reading of books, magazines and newspapers respectively.