The majority of secondary school children in Ireland do not rely on newspapers as their main source for information about current events, a new study has found.

According to a survey by the Central Statistics Office, 9.4 per cent of the 7,211 youngsters questioned used print media as their primary news source, whereas almost four out of ten said the TV was their first choice.

Just under one in five students said news delivered via the internet is the main way they get their information, while around five per cent said they have no interest in current events.

The survey, which covered a wide range of topics, also found PE to be the most popular school subject among boys, while girls preferred art.

Almost nine out of ten (87 per cent) of respondents had access to the internet at home, with half of these owning their own computer.

Recently, however, it was warned by the ISPCC that many young people may be inadvertently putting themselves at risk online by sharing personal information and failing to use privacy settings.

Written by Donal Walsh
 

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