Even with the Internet gaining in popularity, television stations proliferating and people becoming generally more time-pressed in their lives, readership of Canadian newspapers has essentially remained stable in 1997, according to the latest NADbank study into newspaper readership and consumer product purchase and usage patterns.

Officially, the full findings of 1997 study will not be released until today, but some details were available at press time.

On a national basis, 64% of Canadians say they read a newspaper on any given weekday and 72% on weekends. Last year, the study found 65% read newspapers on weekdays and 73% on weekends.

Readership levels from Ontario west were unchanged over the two years, but the study indicates a drop in both Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. In 1997, 58% of Quebecers read newspapers on weekdays compared to 59% last year, and 71% of Quebecers read a newspaper on weekends compared to 72% last year.

In the Atlantic provinces, the drop on weekdays was more dramatic – from 75% last year to 69% this year. Weekend readership remained unchanged at 74%.

New to this year’s study, which was conducted in January, is a series of questions on the Internet and on-line services. As well, the study’s existing focus on atm cards has been expanded, and questions have been added in the section on computers and software.

In a departure from previous years, NADbank will not hold a reception to launch the new data to its membership. Rather, organization executives will present the information in one-on-one meetings with members throughout the fall.

Rosanne Caron, executive director of NADbank, says the organization is considering introducing a mail component to the annual survey. She explains it’s becoming increasingly difficult to conduct the survey by telephone alone, in part because the time it takes to complete an interview has expanded to 40 minutes, which is taxing the patience of most respondents, and also because people are making greater use of telephone technology to screen and avoid unwanted calls.