Our current state of mass literacy is a fairly new achievement, with widespread literacy coming about only within the past 300 years. Despite this important progress, reading habits among Australians—especially teenagers—are facing a troubling shift. A recent national survey found that alarming picture having real consequences. It discovered that nearly one-third—29%—of teens have not read a book or listened to an audiobook in the last year, up 7% of young non-readers since 2017. The real reason for the drop in reading isn’t some odd coincidence, either. It complements the onset of mobile devices that incentivize users to skim and scan rather than digest content in an immersive fashion.
The statistics paint a stark picture. A 15 week reading time for the average Australian adult. In 2019, only 54% of high school seniors said that they read leisurely on “never.” As social media usage exploded—26% to 85% of teenagers in less than a decade—their exposure to traditional reading materials diminished. While last year marked the fourth-highest year for book sales on record, the reality remains that local authors struggle to find readers as Australians increasingly gravitate toward American authors who dominate social media visibility.
The Impact of Mobile Devices on Reading Habits
Smartphones and tablets have changed the way people engage with content. They encourage an environment of shallow engagement and interruption. We found that as users scroll through these never-ending feeds, it gets harder and harder to really focus on one thing at a time like reading.
This change has been difficult for readers and writers alike. Anna Burkey, an industry expert and avid reader herself, says that readers have a strong appetite for more accessible genres and shorter lengths. She especially calls out the challenge all of us now experience in reading deeper texts because of the distractions technology has created.
“We are becoming a ‘post-literate’ society as scrolling and short-form video rapidly replaces sustained reading.”
Social media hangers on rapid reward that is very addictive. This distraction is incredibly damaging to their capacity to take on books that require long-term investment and reflection. Consequently, the shift in consumption patterns has caused a different approach to the production and marketing of literature.
“I remember how much I love reading. It’s just I’m easily distracted into doing something else.” – Anna Burkey
The drop in reading interest among teens is not only troubling for literacy rates, but for how teens will engage with their culture as adults. These new survey results point to an increasing indifference to reading among Australian youth. For instance, the fact that nearly one-third of teenagers have not engaged with a book in the past year is alarming.
Declining Interest Among Teenagers
What it really reveals is that folks are looking for shorter, easier-to-digest content. As a consequence, young readers are deprived of intimidating and thought-provoking literature, as well as a variety of perspectives and concepts. On top of this, Burkey underscores the factors that quickly led to a perfect storm affecting attention spans.
The implications of this trend are profound. Young people are reading less and less, choosing other modes of entertainment—like TikTok or video games. In doing so, they end up jeopardizing the cognitive benefits associated with intensive reading practices. Books offer a transformative power. They teach our minds to deeply engage in one pursuit, a talent that’s growing increasingly scarce in an age of endless distractions.
“I’m struggling to pick up anything that isn’t a rom-com.”
Australia’s publishing industry is currently grappling with a perfect storm as reading rates continue to drop. Local writers have trouble getting visibility and sales, in a market heavily flooded with American authors. All of these household-name authors benefit from decades of marketing support and the deep pockets and vast media landscape social media provides. It’s pretty public knowledge that some of the titles that used to sell 3,000 copies would be lucky now to sell 300.
“We’ve got a bit of a perfect storm, because that then leads to difficulty concentrating. They’re not able to read for long periods of time.” – Anna Burkey
Booksellers have endured through tremendous obstacles, yet optimism abounds as the holiday season approaches. In a normal year, this season represents one-third or more of their total sales. It’s estimated that Australians will spend over $1.4 billion on paperbacks and hardbacks this year. That’s a pretty clear signal that people still love holding physical books.
The State of the Publishing Industry
Industry experts warn that without addressing the underlying issues affecting reading habits, especially among younger demographics, the future of literature may be uncertain. Jeanette Winterson captures this sentiment with her observation:
This proclamation underlines a wider fear about the direction of reading culture in Australia.
However, industry experts warn that without addressing the underlying issues affecting reading habits—especially among younger demographics—the future of literature may be uncertain. Jeanette Winterson captures this sentiment with her observation:
“The evidence is pointing the other way. Maybe it’s going.” – Jeanette Winterson
This statement reflects a broader concern about the trajectory of reading culture in Australia.
