China’s digital reading market is gaining momentum – it has reached RMB 25.5 billion (USD 3.8 billion) in 2018, recording a 19.6% annual growth, according to a recent industry report.
Last year, about 432 million Chinese consumed digital content – which includes news, e-books, audio books, online magazines, and academic journals – on devices such as personal computers, mobile phones, tablet computers, and e-readers. The average online reader read 12.4 books last year and spent about 71.3 minutes on a single reading session, according to the report by China’s Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association.
The most popular digital publication genres among Chinese readers last year were realistic fiction, business management, and sports/fitness.
More than two-thirds of the readers are willing to pay for e-books. Most of the reading activities happen during the morning and evening rush hours when workers are commuting between their homes and workplaces.
China Literature, an online reading conglomerate backed by Chinese tech giant Tencent, booked RMB 5.04 billion (US$734.1 million) in revenue at 23% annual growth in 2018. China Literature’s reading platforms and apps allow writers to publish their works and charge readers for viewing it.
Editor: Nadine Freischlad