Think young Canadians don’t read newspapers? Think again.

Many assume younger Canadians have left newspapers behind. The numbers tell a different story.

More than 85% of Canadian adults aged 18–34 read newspaper content each week, including across print and digital formats. And despite growing up in a digital world, many younger readers are still picking up a printed newspaper.

Why? Print offers a different experience.

Digital media, with cookies, algorithms, and feeds, is tailored to spiral users into a dopamine loop that keeps feeding the system with clicks and engagement. Print, by contrast, doesn't need cookies or an algorithm; it is designed to deliver a one-way feed of information from various sources, with no expectation of further clicks.

Why We Celebrate National Newspaper Week

National Newspaper Week is an annual opportunity to recognize the critical role newspapers play in an active and healthy democracy, and it is celebrated in North America during the first week of October. Local newspapers deliver vital information to Canadians every day, connecting local communities across the country and keeping citizens informed, engaged, and connected.

Beyond the appeal of paper and ink, youth are drawn to local reporting out of necessity. Careers, neighbourhood engagement, education and politics are some of the topics affecting the younger generation, and they are paying attention.

Print also offers something increasingly rare in our always-on digital world: a finite reading experience.

There’s no infinite scroll and no next video automatically waiting for you. A newspaper has a beginning and an end. You can spend time with the stories that interest you, discover a few you weren’t expecting, and, when you reach the last page, know you’re finished. In a world of endless content, there's real appeal in simply being done.

Print has staying power while digital links can be deleted, never seen again or, if you can find them, hidden behind a third-party paywall. There's something to be said about cutting out a newspaper clipping to stick on the fridge or celebrating a milestone or anniversary by keeping that date's paper copy stored away.  

Younger Canadians move easily between formats, choosing print, e-editions, websites, newsletters, video and other options depending on what they want and when they want it.

Don’t dismiss local newspapers when you're looking for ways to engage the next generation. They may be closer than you think.

Learn more at www.nationalnewspaperweek.ca.