Literacy and Reading in a Multimedia Environment

This study explores changes in reading behavior in Israel over 20 years between 1970 and 1990. The comparison of two periods reveals a slight increase in newspaper reading and a slight decrease in book and magazine reading, although the majority of the population uses all the available print media. Active reading (at least one book per month) correlates strongly with various cultural activities such as theater, concerts, museums and lectures, traditionally considered high culture, requiring a higher degree of cultural capital and appropriate socialization. Both formal education and parental influence are essential in the development of active readers. Newspapers are found to be less functional now than 20 years ago. Reading retains all its unique functions, and books seem to gratify psychosocial needs that fit particularly well into the individualistic orientations of postmodern society. It appears that traditional illiteracy is making a comeback due to the prevalent high use of audiovisual media.