뉴미디어 시대 한국 독서문화의 특성

Abstract

This study analyzed the characteristic features of reading activities. The analyses showed several visible features. First, entertainment-oriented media, like an internet or a cell-phone are preferred to information-oriented media, like a book or a newspaper. As Korean society is surrounded by a new-media environment where the internet search becomes critical, it is needed for us to understand new types of reading activities and develop new book-reading promotion strategies. Second, book-reading rate and time have decreased as time passes, but the total number of books read in a year have increased. Readers tend to favor the best seller or the fast reading book, and they are more interested in the book to watch than the book to read. Because of this change, Korean readers are likely to shorten their reading time, but increase the total number of books they read. Therefore, any strategy aiming at fostering book-reading must be mapped after taking into account these kinds of readers' new needs. Third, book-reading is perceived as one of major leasure activities even in the era of new-media. This finding suggests that organizations related with publishing business have to relentlessly launch a campaign and movement to have more people read books. Fourth, the amount of book-reading, the type of favored books and other reading attitudes are likely to vary across ages. For instance, adults are more interested in classic novels and educational materials, but students are more attracted by books related with fantasies, detectives, entertainments, sports, and others. Since people of different social classes have different tastes, readers are to be understood by social categories and their book-reading promotion strategies have to be designed differently. Fifth, the book-purchasing channel is likely to be different across social class. For instance, adults purchased books from on-and off-line book stores on the basis of information provided by the stores, while students bought more books from on-line book stores on the basis of information collected from personal communications with parents, teachers and peers. This finding suggests that reading education has to be implemented toward students more seriously in order for it to be effective. Finally, it is well evidenced that the book will not be one of disappearing media even the era of new-media is coming. It is expected to take a new style like an electronic book and sell at on-line book stores, as well as off-line book stores. This point can be clearly understood when we look at the fact that the total sale of digital content including the electronic book is rapidly growing every year. it is prospected that new-media will contribute to the expansion of reading population in Korea.