LETTERS: David Christy lamented the fast fading reading habit among young Malaysians and the challenges faced by the print media in the digital age (NST, Oct 21).
News portals are popular and enjoy massive readership.
But the younger generation is less inclined to read newspapers and periodicals. They prefer to go to social media for information and entertainment, which they need quickly and preferably at little to no cost.
As an octogenarian, I have been reading newspapers for more than six decades.
I am glad that every morning, I have something to hold and read. An indispensable morning ritual. A routine that most senior citizens are used to for the best part of their lives.
The reading culture is alive and strong in the older generation. A fairly large number of us subscribe to more than one daily. It is their loyalty and support that has helped newspapers stay afloat.
Besides that, print media provides genuine news and reading materials that have gone through fact-checking and verification.
Fake news is a new phenomenon that is a cause for concern.
Reading is enriching and rewarding. Studies have shown that reading printed material encourages the brain to work harder and better as opposed to reading social media platforms.
Reading newspapers or books gives one a chance to hit the pause button to improve comprehension and insight.
According to Reader’s Digest’s Brain for Food section in the August issue, the benefits of reading continues long after one has put down the printed material and the improved brain connectivity persists for five days.
S. SUNDARESON
Petaling Jaya, Selangor
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times