Reading fails to hit home in crisis

More than a quarter of Hongkongers have been reading more during the pandemic, the Hong Kong Publishing Professionals Society reported.

But that still did not end an overall downward trend in reading habits, with around 65 percent of respondents not having read a book in a year, hitting a five-year record low.

Among the 2,097 people polled in February and March around 36.5 percent said they never developed a reading habit, citing insufficient time.

However, vice-chairwoman Rebecca Chee Lai-wa said the number of people reading was "high" for Hong Kong.

While around 27 percent had read more books during the outbreak, the increase is less than expected for researcher Chan Chi-fai, saying: "We expected a lot more people to read more books."

The proportion of people who prefer print over electronic books is also falling, from 68 percent to 56 percent in five years.

Around 90 percent browse for information online, doing so for an average of two hours per day.

Chee suggested publishers consider publishing more eBooks and audiobooks.

"The Hong Kong market is small, publications may face difficulty in developing digital reading materials due to limited resources," Chee said, adding the government should fund talent training to assist the publishing industry.

Chee said it is crucial to promote reading, in order to equip future leaders with the "high adaptability" to lead "social transformation."

Based on 2018 research by Mindlab International researchers in the UK, the Hong Kong Publishing Federation will start a stay at home reading campaign on World Reading and Copyright Day tomorrow, with six minutes of reading a day reported to reduce stress levels by 68 percent. Participants will be encouraged to read at least six minutes a day and share reflections on Facebook.