About 95% of Russians continue to read news about the New Year holidays, and about half keep up the same volume as before. This data comes from an online survey conducted by a communications agency using a popular local analytics service. The findings reveal patterns in how people consume news during festive breaks and what drives their attention when time is more abundant. This snapshot helps understand media habits not just for Russia, but for similar audiences in North America who value staying informed during holidays.
During the holiday period, nearly half of respondents, specifically 47.5%, maintained their regular news-reading pace. An additional 4.5% reported reading more news than usual because free time increased the opportunity to scan headlines, watch briefings, or skim longer reports. Conversely, 6.5% paused their usual news routine entirely for the first portion of the holidays, only to resume their prior pattern once the festive days ended. About 28.5% read news over the holidays but in a lighter mode, and 8.5% turned to news only occasionally. A small minority, 4.5%, stated they did not read any news during the New Year holiday period. These variations reflect how personal routines and celebration schedules influence information intake across a short, high-activity window.
When it comes to preferred channels, audiences tended to stick with familiar platforms. Roughly 45% favored Telegram channels and social networks as their primary source, just under 30% relied on online media outlets, and nearly 20% still watched television. The distribution remains broadly consistent on weekends and ordinary days, indicating entrenched media habits that persist even amid holiday disruptions. This pattern mirrors the needs of a content strategy that prioritizes quick mobile access, reliable online reporting, and curated video summaries for broad reach.
Topic interest during the holiday period skewed toward domestic news, with about 65% of respondents indicating attention to stories from various spheres of life at home. Political information drew interest from 15% of respondents, while smaller percentages—ranging from 2% to 4%—followed sports, culture, economy, foreign news, and other categories. Interestingly, nearly half of those surveyed reported no avoidance of topics during vacation, suggesting a general openness to diverse coverage. Yet politics emerged as the most commonly avoided subject during weekends, with 25% of respondents opting to skip political content to preserve holiday mood. These nuances highlight where audiences crave depth and where they prefer lighter fare during a break.
In terms of behavior guidance, some readers recognize the toll of constant exposure to bad news and seek strategies to manage information intake without losing awareness of important developments. Practical tips commonly cited include setting specific news-check windows, choosing a limited set of trusted sources, and balancing news with deliberate leisure time. The overall takeaway is that people want clarity and relevance without feeling overwhelmed, a balance that resonates across diverse regions, including Canada and the United States as holiday seasons shift and media ecosystems evolve. The conversation around how to stay informed while preserving well-being remains timely and actionable for a broad international audience.