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Newsprint in Urban Guatemala

Guatemala has one of the highest illiteracy rates in Latin America at about 31 percent. Complicating matters is that large indigenous communities in Guatemala do not speak or read Spanish (close to 40 percent of the population self-identifies as indigenous). In this context, it is not surprising that newspapers in Guatemala are not as popular as TV or radio. However, in urban areas, to which this study focuses, newspaper readership is strong. Nearly 40 percent of urban dwellers surveyed said they read a newspaper daily and about 72 percent said they read a paper at least weekly.

Readership in urban areas tends to be higher because of higher educational levels, higher concentrations of wealth and better newspaper circulation. In rural areas, newspaper circulation is less reliable and poverty rates are much higher.

Chart 1

Nuestro Diario and Prensa Libre are the most read newspapers according to urban respondents. While Nuestro Diario is the most popular newspaper, Prensa Libre was listed as respondents’ most important newspaper for news and information.

Both of these newspapers publish content online. In fact, 28 percent of urban internet users said they visit Prensa Libre’s website at least weekly. Prensa Libre readers are also more likely to be well educated. Sixty-three percent of respondents with a university degree read this newspaper daily vis-à-vis 24 percent of who have less than a secondary degree.

Interestingly, regular newspaper readership declines with age. Young adults (15-29) and individuals 30 to 44 lead all other age groups in weekly readership at 78 percent and 77 percent respectively, while about 60 percent of adults 44 to 59 read a paper weekly. Young adults also seemed to prefer Nuestro Diario over Prensa Libre, which garnered a higher readership among older adults.

There is a large gap in readership between men and women. While about 81 percent of men read a newspaper weekly only about 64 percent of women do. Women were stronger readers of Prensa Libre and El Periodico versus their male counterparts.

Chart 2

The illiteracy hurdle to newspaper readership is present even in urban areas. While 80 percent of respondents who have a secondary education said they read a newspaper weekly, only 58 percent of those who have either no education or only a primary education do so. Educational attainment also affects newspaper readership as it influences an individual’s ability to obtain income. Those with a minimal education are less likely to afford the cost of regularly purchasing a newspaper.