Book readership rate dives during lockdown

(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 16 - The rate of book readership in Italy plunged during the coronavirus lockdown, a survey said Thursday.
    The percentage of Italians between 15 and 74 who said they had read at least one book in the previous year fell 15% in March compared to March 2019, said the survey by the Centre for Books and Reading and the Italian Book Publishers Association AIE.
    The book readership rate thus fell to 58% in March.
    Taking into consideration books read in March and April, the percentage falls to 50%, according to the survey.
    "There was a sharp fall in readership and a reduction in sales demand," said the report.
    It did not say why Italians appeared to have read less during lockdown.
    The survey countered anecdotal evidence of reading increasing due to the confinement enforced by the virus crisis. (ANSA).