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The following Roy Morgan Research information on book reading and Australian
football participation/viewing was prepared for the non-profit Age Melbourne Writers’ Festival.
For information on how to attend call (03) 9685 5111 or visit www.mwf.com.au

In total 10.6 million Australians aged 14 and over (64%) have read a book in the last three months compared to 7.2 million (44%) who either participated in Australian Rules Football (AFL) or watched it on television. Of AFL participants, a high 64% have read a book in the last three months, according to the latest Roy Morgan Single Source findings.

Australian women are twice more likely to have read a book in the last three months than they are to have watched AFL on television (72% cf 36%). Australian men are also more likely to have read a book (56%) than watched AFL football (51%), albeit by a considerably smaller margin.

Surprisingly, despite Australians’ love of sport, particularly AFL, Australians are the least likely (44%) to have participated in or watched AFL (the national football code) on television — New Zealand (Rugby Union: 61%); UK (Soccer: 54%); and the US (Gridiron: 50%). Australian men (51%) are less likely than their British (71%), New Zealand (71%) and American (61%) counterparts to have participated in or watched their national Football code on television. New Zealand is the only country in which a majority of women (51%) participate in or watch Football on television — US and UK (both 39%); and Australia (36%).

New Zealanders (72%) are more likely than Australians (64%), Brits (62%) and Americans (59%) to have read a book in the past three months. Four-in-five (80%) New Zealand women say they have read a book in the last three months compared to 63% of Kiwi men.

Jan McGuinness, Chair of the Melbourne Writers Festival Board, says:

“These Roy Morgan findings show Australians enjoy a good book and their football. 10.6 million say they have read a book in the last three months and 7.2 million say they have participated in or watched Australian Rules Football. In Australia, a high proportion of those people who play or watch AFL football, read a book — 64%.

“This reaffirms the fact that reading a book and spending Saturday afternoon playing or watching football is not mutually exclusive.

“These results are consistent with a US National Endowment for the Arts study conducted in 2004 that found literacy and reading is highly correlated with interest in an attendance at sporting events. Forty-five per cent of readers attend sporting events, whereas just 17% of non-readers attend sporting events.

“We look forward to seeing many footy fans at the Malthouse Theatre, where they can enjoy the best of both worlds with our Talking Footy event on August 31!”

Talking Footy!
Thursday, 31 August, 11.45am
AFL Legend Ron Barassi joins Angela Pippos (ABC TV), Bev Knight (Essendon Director), Jeff ‘Coodabeen’ Richardson

and NZ rugby tragic Brian Turner at the Malthouse Southbank to discuss all things football.
For tickets call (03) 9685 5111 or visit www.mwf.com.au

“Read a book” refers to both fiction and non-fiction in the last three months.

“Football” refers to the following: Australia — Australian Rules Football; New Zealand — Rugby Union; UK — Soccer; US — Gridiron. Respondents either “participate in football regularly or occasionally” or “almost always or occasionally watch football on television.”

These are the main findings of the latest Roy Morgan International Survey of:
• 5,213 people aged 14 and over in the UK; September 2004 - February 2006;
• 3,569 people aged 14 and over in the USA; March 2005 — February 2006;
• 12,089 people aged 14 and over in New Zealand; May 2005 — April 2006; and
• 23,540 people aged 14 and over in Australia; April 2005 — March 2006.

Roy Morgan International
With offices in London, New York, Princeton, Jakarta, Auckland and throughout Australia, Roy Morgan International is a truly global market research company.

Roy Morgan Detailed Analysis
A detailed analysis of this special Roy Morgan survey can be purchased for $6,800 plus GST (which includes the data loaded in Roy Morgan’s Asteroid Software).

Morgan Poll sampling tolerance:
The margin of error to be allowed for in any estimate depends mainly on the number of interviews on which it is based. The following table gives indications of the likely range within which estimates would be 95% likely to fall, expressed as the number of percentage points above or below the actual estimate. The figures are approximate and for general guidance only, and assume a simple random sample. Allowance for design effects (such as stratification and weighting) should be made as appropriate.

Sample Size	Percentage Estimate
	25-75%	10% or 90%	5% or 95%
500	±4½	±3	±2
1000	± 3	± 2	± 1½

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