Mass Media Survey, 2020

Since 1967, Statistics Norway (SSB) has conducted several surveys on the use of mass media. From 1991 onwards, Statistics Norway has conducted quarterly surveys annually with a cross-sectional sample of people between the ages of 9 and 79. The purpose of the survey is to provide an overall presentation of Norwegians' use of different types of mass media and the availability of such media. The results are published annually in the Norwegian Media Barometer (www.ssb.no/medie). The Mass Media Survey measures Norwegians' use of various mass media throughout an entire year, and the data collection is therefore carried out quarterly throughout the year, with four equally large sub-samples per quarter.

The interviews are distributed on all days of the week in order to provide a picture of seasonal variations in media use. Since the purpose of the survey is to provide an overall presentation of the use of mass media, it is asked about the use of different types of media: audio media (radio, music playback), film media (television, video, recordings from television, etc.), the Internet, and print media ( books, newspapers, magazines, periodicals, etc.). With an increasing supply of new mass media, and not least platforms, it is becoming more and more complex to cover the total pattern of mass media use in the population. It is especially challenging to distinguish between the use of traditional media platforms and online media. The Mass Media Survey therefore includes some changes each year, and makes adjustments to capture the use of new media channels and platforms. Nevertheless, it is important to emphasize that an important purpose in the survey is to measure developments over time, which means that more traditional media still have a large place in the survey.