As Traditional Reading Declines, What are the Drawbacks? Plus Much More…

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As Traditional Reading is Declining, What are the Drawbacks?

Whether it is education, entertainment, or headline news, people now prefer video and audio to reading. Studies show that book readership and consumption of long-form articles have declined dramatically, especially among younger audiences. People are likelier to skim than read deeply—attention spans are shorter, and scrolling is the new norm.

According to Cisco, video accounts for over 80% of global internet traffic. YouTube is the second most visited site globally, behind only Google. Podcast listenership has skyrocketed, with over 42% of Americans listening monthly, and it’s even higher among younger demographics. Platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible are fueling the shift.

People can listen to audio content while driving, working out, or cooking. Video delivers more immediate engagement and storytelling with faces, movement, music, and emotion. TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts condition us to consume fast, visual bites of content. After a long day, it’s easier to watch or listen than to actively read.

What’s Unique About Reading

Reading—especially sustained, focused reading of books—does something quite different for the brain than listening to audio or watching video. Here are some of the key differences and possible downsides of a decline in reading:

• Deep focus & attention span: Reading requires sustained concentration and active engagement. You control the pace, linger on complex ideas, and connect concepts. Video and audio are usually more passive and faster paced, which can train shorter attention spans.
• Vocabulary & articulation: Reading exposes you to more diverse and complex vocabulary than speech. Even polished podcasts rarely match the density of written language. That’s why strong readers tend to be more articulate writers and speakers.
• Critical thinking: Reading forces you to imagine, analyze, and interpret without all the cues (tone, visuals, sound effects) that audio/video provide. This builds abstract thinking and reasoning skills.
• Memory & comprehension: Studies show we retain and comprehend more deeply from print reading compared to listening, partly because our brains process text in a way that encourages deeper encoding.

What May be Lost if Reading Declines

• Shorter attention spans and less patience for complex arguments.
• Smaller vocabulary and weaker writing/speaking skills.
• Shallower comprehension (skimming the “gist” vs. deeply analyzing).
• Less imaginative thinking, since video fills in visuals that books leave for your mind.
• Reduced cultural literacy—books often carry more enduring, nuanced ideas than bite-sized digital content.

That said, not all audio and video is shallow—long-form podcasts, lectures, or audiobooks can cultivate reflection and learning if approached actively. But reading remains unmatched for building focus, articulation, and abstract thinking.

Comprehension & Learning: Reading vs. Listening vs. Video

Reading

• Retention & comprehension: A classroom study found students who read a lesson on paper scored significantly higher on comprehension quizzes than those who listened to the same material as a podcast—by about a grade-level difference, roughly 28% better TIME.
• Visual layout matters: Printed text provides spatial cues (such as page placement and layout) that aid memory and narrative comprehension, which are often lacking in audio TIME.

Listening

• Brain engagement: A 2019 neuroscience study showed that listening to stories activates many of the same brain regions used during reading unitedthroughreading.org.
• Mixed outcomes in comprehension: Some studies—like one from 2016—found no significant difference in comprehension between adults reading and listening SAGE Journals. But others still showed reading had the edge, especially with complex or unfamiliar content, MediumTIME.
• Support for struggling readers: Audiobooks can help reluctant or disabled readers by boosting engagement, motivation, and comprehension unitedthroughreading.org The Times.
• Complement, not replacement: The UK’s National Literacy Trust cautions that while audiobooks are beneficial, they should not replace printed reading, since they don’t foster decoding skills—like spelling and punctuation—that are vital The Times.
• Cultural debate: Some critics argue audiobooks are inferior; others—supported by neuroscientific findings—contend they’re valid forms of reading, particularly for accessibility The Wall Street Journal The Washington Post.

Video & Multimedia

• Novices benefit from video: Research shows that novices learn better with multimedia formats (video accompanied by audio) in terms of usability, engagement, and comprehension—but experts tend to prefer text for deeper understanding and faster navigation arXiv.
• This suggests video can be helpful for initial exposure—but may not support the same depth of comprehension or retention as reading.

Shared and Distinct Cognitive Processes

• Overlap between reading and listening: A study in children found that reading comprehension explained 40% of listening comprehension variance, and listening explained 34% of reading variance—implying overlap but also modality-specific differences SpringerLink.
• Vocabulary as a key shared skill: Vocabulary and word-reading fluency were significant contributors to both reading and listening comprehension SpringerLinkWikipedia.
• Modality matters: Certain skills—like attention—play a larger role in one format over another (e.g., attention is especially critical during listening because it’s fleeting) SpringerLink.

What Is Lost When Reading Declines?

1. Weaker comprehension of complex texts: Without print reading, it’s harder to navigate narrative structure and recall details.
2. Fewer vocabulary gains: Reading exposes you to word forms, usages, and subtleties that listening alone might not provide.
3. Reduced writing and decoding proficiency: Print reading helps internalize spelling, punctuation, and syntactic patterns.
4. Less focus and cognitive control: Without the ability to pause, reread, or visually anchor ideas, listening (and video) can foster shallower or more passive engagement.
5. Diminished deep processing: Reading allows for slower, reflective interaction. Media like podcasts or videos—while engaging—often don’t invite the same depth.

Yes, listening and video do offer some of the benefits of reading, such as comprehension and vocabulary exposure. But they are more passive, less interactive, and often provide shallower cognitive engagement. Reading continues to be uniquely powerful for building vocabulary breadth, critical thinking, articulation, and deep comprehension.

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