Does anybody else buy a newspaper every day? I do. But, I’m in a minority.

I’ve been doing very unscientific research recently amongst attendees at training courses, family and friends.

And no one whom I’ve asked buys a newspaper daily.

Some never buy newspapers at all, getting news from RSS feeds online, radio and television.

One couple I know, both newly retired, are reducing their newspaper buying because of the cost of newspapers. They’re going to experiment for one week with getting their news directly from newspaper websites – and then decide on what mix of print and online news they go forward with.

I don’t know of any under-30 year olds who buy newspapers with any regularity. And those in my own bracket -30-50 year olds – who were reared in households where a daily newspaper was as essential as bread and milk – are turning away from newspapers.

Why? Anecdotal evidence seems to point to people not having the time to read a whole newspaper every day. Others are tired of the negativity of headlines and coverage in the current climate. And others again have minimal interest in current affairs and find newspapers of no relevance to them.

Maybe I’m behind the curve in fully appreciating the fall-off in newspaper readership, but it’s a fascinating trend and worth watching in 2012.