A new study conducted by the leading Market Research and Business Intelligence firm MaxEd on magazine readership in Kerala highlights a fascinating shift in how people consume print media today. The survey, conducted among 6,000 samples across Kerala, reveals that while magazines continue to hold cultural value across the state, the frequency of reading, preferred subscription and purchasing channels, and content choices differ significantly across age and gender groups. The insights reveal a mix of tradition, lifestyle change, and evolving reader expectations.
Occasional Reading Is Now the Norm
One of the clearest trends emerging from the study is that most Keralites read magazines occasionally rather than regularly.
- Middle-aged readers form the core group of occasional readers, with 43.2% engaging with magazines at intervals
- Young adults, however, show declining involvement; 49.1% read rarely, indicating a stronger shift toward digital media consumption
- Senior citizens remain the most loyal readers, with 31.9% reading magazines frequently
Gender also plays a role:
- Women are more likely occasional readers (41.6%)
- Men are more frequent readers
- Young adults rarely read magazines
Traditional Buying Channels Still Dominate
Despite widespread digital adoption across India, magazine buyers in Kerala still prefer traditional, physical sources for accessing magazines.
Newspaper Agents and Bookstores Lead:
- Young adults lean heavily toward bookstores (41.6%)
- Middle-aged readers buy from a mix of outlets
- Senior citizens rely on postal subscriptions (39.2%), a strong sign of long-term reading habits
This indicates that Kerala’s print ecosystem, unlike many other regions, remains resilient due to its deeply rooted reading habits and trust in traditional distribution channels.
Short Reading Preference Is Consistent with Fast-Paced Lifestyle
Across all demographics, the preferred reading duration is 15–30 minutes, signalling a shift toward short, concise, and time-efficient content formats.
- 50.3% of young adults and 47.9% of middle-aged readers fall into this bracket
- Senior citizens, on the other hand, have more relaxed reading routines. 20.4% read for more than 60 minutes
Both genders exhibit this trend, although males tend to have slightly longer reading spans in the 30–60-minute range.
These patterns suggest that magazines should continue offering compact, quick-read articles, especially for younger audiences with limited time.
Health, Lifestyle, and Current Affairs Dominate Preferences
A detailed examination of content preferences reveals clear and predictable segmentation.
Age-Based Preferences:
- Health and wellness are the top choice across all age groups, especially among the middle-aged (77.7%)
- Young adults are drawn toward lifestyle, entertainment, and travel topics
- Senior citizens prefer news and current affairs (42.1%), keeping them connected with social, political, and national developments
Gender-Based Preferences:
Women strongly prefer health, lifestyle, and cooking-related content:
- 63.9% show interest in health topics
- 51% in cooking and recipes
Men tend to prefer informational depth in news, current affairs, and travel.
Kerala’s Reading Culture: Evolving, Not Declining
The findings offer a clear picture of Kerala’s current magazine landscape:
- Young adults are drifting away from regular reading but still engage with lifestyle-driven content
- Middle-aged individuals remain the most active consumers of diverse magazine content
- Senior citizens continue to form the backbone of the print-reading community
- Women demonstrate stronger content engagement and diverse reading interests
- Men prefer routine-driven formats such as subscriptions and informational sections
Overall, Kerala’s reading culture remains vibrant; however, the way people read is undergoing a transformation.
For more details on this study and report, reach out to [email protected]
