The News Publishers’ Association (NPA) has commissioned a follow-up study to research the evolving news media habits of New Zealanders; the 2nd NPA News Engagement Study.

The NPA wanted to explore if the increased engagement identified in their initial Post-COVID News Engagement Study had been sustained in the subsequent 12 months from the initial study.

Fieldwork was undertaken March 18 – 30, 2022 and initial findings support the hypothesis that behaviour, engagement and priorities have been sustained since the original study. With fieldwork only recently completed, today we’re sharing initial toplines and over the next few months we’ll be sharing in-depth insights from our 2nd News Engagement Study.

Behaviours sustained

“The pandemic made me sit down and realise what sources of news are actually credible.” – MALE, 35-39, WAIKATO

Engagement sustained

“I value them [the news media] more, there is so much fake news, undermining of facts and movements driven by this as a result of the pandemic. I think that the newspapers and news media are an important source of digestible fact-based information … more than ever before.” – FEMALE, 35-39, MANAWATU-WHANGANUI

Priorities sustained

“Before the pandemic I never read newspapers or watched the news because I had a busy life and had other priorities but now with the pandemic my priorities have shifted slightly so I am always reading a reliable source of information to see how the world around us is affected and how I could be better protecting my family.” – FEMALE, 25-29, AUCKLAND

Be sure to stay up to date by subscribing to our newsletter