The second National Survey on Reading and Book Purchases has found
that reading is becoming indispensable in modern Chinese life with
the development of the economy and society.
Launched by a special survey organization, Beijing Shengtao Survey
Company, in the second half of 2001, the survey selected 15 cities
and counties differing in area and population for scientific
multi-layer sampling. The 4,600 completed samples produced two
million pieces of data. Using international social analysis
software, the survey found some specialties in modern people's
reading and book purchases.
Comprehensive Books Most Popular
Comparing to 1999, although literary and comprehensive books are
still the most popular, economic books have moved from eighth to
fourth in the popular book list, which shows that people pay more
attention to the practical usage of a book than before. The list is
comprehensive books first, literary works second, political and law
books third, economic books fourth and cultural and medical books
fifth.
The further survey on literary, life, children, technology and
foreign language books found that documentary writings have
replaced works written by Jing Yong and Qiong Yao atop the literary
works list, and books of daily-life knowledge, children's foreign
language study and medical knowledge top their respective
categories of life, children's and technology books.
Gender Differences
Daily life-related, culture and entertainment and literature are
three kinds of most popular magazines, followed by news and
politics. Women prefer life-related, literature and culture and
entertainment, while natural science, social science, news and
politics and business management are men's favorites.
Reading Online Minimal
Although people reading online doubled in the past two years, this
still accounts for only 7.5 percent of the total, and most of them
are young people, showing that reading online cannot challenge
traditional reading habits. On the other hand, books and magazines
are listed in first and third places in online purchase, so they
may be the key to success in e-business.
10 Yuan (US$1.2) a Proper Price for Audio-visual
Products
The survey found the market for audio-visual products stood at 25.2
billion yuan (US$3 billion), accounting for 31 percent of the
publishing market, and the market for VCDs, DVDs and FD's is
increasing rapidly. Shops are the main source of audio-visual
purchasing, while vendors are the second source. The survey also
found that 10 yuan (US$1.2) is the highest price for most people to
buy such products.
(china.org.cn by Feng Yikun, July 3 , 2002)