Newspaper readership has declined by 2 percent as more people are shifting to online browsing for information, but the print media is sure to stay.

This was bared by Steve Garton, executive director of Synovate, which conducts the Media Atlas Survey for the period August 2009 to July 2010 covering five countries – Hong Kong, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and China, to determine consumption patterns among consumers.

The Media Atlas Survey survey provides an in depth perspective on Filipino consumers across all socio economic groups to give marketers, advertisers and business leaders where to put their advertising budgets to be able to reach their market in the most effective way.

The Philippine survey for the third quarter this year involves 2,000 samples scattered around the country.

According to Garton, the 2 percent decline in readership this year compared to last year came from the lower social group as they have been the most vulnerable sector. The upper social segment or the AB classes have higher spending capability.

He also blamed the economic recession that have affected consumer preferences and the typhoons that hit the country as other reasons for the decline in readership.

Garton, however, said the decline in readership may not necessarily translate to lower income for the print media.

“The newspaper is not dead, it is here to stay,” he said.

Although the internet penetration in the country is only at 36 percent, he noted that more websites are now undertaking promos like discounts and subscriptions to push sales. He even said that because of the recession, there have been a reduction in advertising budgets and the expectation is that a recovery may happen three years from now yet.

While the print media has also operate their own online site, Garton said the challenge lies in the content. Normally, he said, the contents in the newspapers are also the same contents that come out in the online edition.

A range of 25 to 33 percent of those surveyed said that what they read on print are the same content carried on in the online newspaper edition.

He suggested that publishers should pay attention to their content like promote more social networking and other contents that would provide more depth.

“The greatest opportunity is to target audience,” he said.

Out of total universe of 13.294 million (possible respondents in a specific area surveyed), the Philippines has a internet penetration of 36 percent with the greater Manila area getting the highest rate of 42 percent followed by Luzon with 32 percent, Visayas with 28 percent and Mindanao with 22 percent.

The younger age group of 15-24 ears old has the highest internet access penetration with 57 percent.

There has been a higher percentage of internet penetration among households with 52 percent, internet cafes with 50 percent and workplace with 14 percent. Desktop PC is still the most common means of internet access with a high rate of 85 percent, laptop with 28 percent and mobile phones with 14 percent.

By socio-economic class, the AB market has higher magazine reach of 65 percent and newspaper with 62 percent while the C+ market has a newspaper reach of 48 percent and magazine of 49 percent.