According to a recent survey conducted by the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication, 22% of Internet users have cancelled their newspaper subscriptions because they can read the same news online.
On the other hand, the survey also found that 61% of Internet users who like to read their newspapers offline will miss the print edition if it completely disappeared. That percentage is up from 56% a year ago.
The analysis by Audit Bureau of Circulations showed that the average newspaper sales dropped 7.1% in the six months period - from October to March compared to the same period a year ago. Some of this decline is due to cut-backs by newspapers on less profitable circulations like, for instance - bulk copies of newspapers delivered to hotels.
This year some newspapers have already shut down, eliminated publication days or cut delivery to a few days a week only. Jeffrey Cole, head of the Annenberg School's Center for a Digital Future, said that one thing is certain for anyone over 30: "When the printed newspaper goes away, breakfast just won't make sense."
--------