Australian newsmedia gains as social networks decline

Australia's appetite for newsmedia has grown again, as the country gradually falls out of love with social media.

Emma figures published by NewsMediaWorks show a two-per cent increase in news media audience in 2017, as the number of Australians using social networking sites fell one per cent to 12.6 million. (Emma's newsmedia readership figures are based across four weeks, while those for social media relate to the past week).

The group says 16.9 million people, or 90 per cent of the population aged 14 or over, read news media in December, across all platforms. Almost three quarters of the population (74 per cent, or 13.8 million people) consumed news media on digital devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops.

Newspapers alone were read by 12.8 million people, or 68 per cent in the same month.

"Since 2015 we have seen more than half a million additional Australians turning to news media, consuming premium content they know they can trust," says NMW chief executive Peter Miller. "The great majority of major news brands have seen readership growth in print and digital audiences in 2017. In contrast, Australian's social media usage is now in year-on-year decline, consistent with Canada and the US."

Fairfax Media's Sydney Morning Herald is Australia's highest-reaching title across all platforms with 5.18 million readers, followed by News Corp Australia's Daily Telegraph, reaching 4.18 million readers, and Herald Sun on 4.1 million.

The figures show national news media was read by 2.5 million, or 13 per cent, of the population. Metro newspapers were read by 10.6 million people, or 56 per cent of consumers, over the same period.

Regional and community news media brands were read by 6.5 million people, or 35 per cent of the population during December. A total of 3.1 million people (or 17 per cent aged 14+), read regional newspapers, while community newspapers were read by 3.5 million (or 19 per cent).