Tempo-Libero-E-Partecipazione-Culturale - Ebook en-US

FREE TIME.
AND CULTURAL
PARTICIPATION
BETWEEN OLD
AND NEW PRACTICES
FREE TIME.
AND CULTURAL
PARTICIPATION
BETWEEN OLD
AND NEW PRACTICES
LEISURE TIME AND CULTURAL PARTICIPATION: BETWEEN OLD AND NEW PRACTICES
Content edited by: Emanuela Bologna and Miria Savioli.
Editorial activities: Nadia Mignolli (coordination), Marzia Albanesi, Marco Farinacci and Alessandro Franzò.
Responsible for graphics: Sofia Barletta.
ISBN 978-88-458-2082-3
© 2022
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INDEX
Page.
Introduction 7
1. Household spending on cultural consumption 11

1.1 Introduction 11
1.2 Pandemic and household spending on culture 12
1.3 Household spending on culture in Italy 12
1.4 Cultural tourism in Italy: a shared definition 19
1.5 Residents' cultural and scenic tourism 20
1.6 The profile of the tourist who takes cultural and scenic vacations 23
1.7 Cultural and scenic tourism during summer 2020 23
1.8 Final considerations 24
Bibliographical References 25
2. Television and radio between tradition and innovation 27

2.1 The role of television and radio in the past two decades: between information
and entertainment 27
2.2 Television and radio across generations 29
2.3 Young people increasingly less fond of television, radio more followed by adults 31
2.4 Time spent on television and radio 32
2.5 New tools for television and radio enjoyment: the web and its effects 34
2.6 Television and radio during the COVID-19 pandemic 39
2.7 Final Considerations 43
3. Reading books and newspapers 45

3.1 Introduction 45
3.2 Book reading over the past twenty years 46
3.3 Readers' preferences: between paper books, ebooks and audiobooks 49
3.4 Strong readers and weak readers 53
3.5 Book reading and use of new technologies 55
3.6 Newspaper reading over the past twenty years 58
3.7 Readers' preferences: between print and online newspapers 61
3.8 Reading of books, newspapers and magazines during the first and second pandemic waves 64
4 Leisure and cultural participation: between old and new practices
Pag
3.9 Final Considerations e.
Bibliographical 66
References 68
4. Outdoor and indoor shows and entertainment 69
4.1 Introduction 69
4.2 Attendance at cultural events away from home over the past twenty years: old
and new trends 70
4.3 Live performances: going to the theater or attending a concert 74
4.4 Cinema: profiles and trends in enjoyment of the seventh art 80
4.5 Movie viewing: competition from television and the Internet before and during the
pandemic by COVID-19 85
4.6 Participation in film, theater and dance festivals and associations: from the parterre
physical to virtual or mixed mode 89
4.7 The rediscovery of hobbies and DIY during Phase 1 of the COVID-19 emergency 90
5. How the Internet changes leisure time 95

5.1 Introduction 95
5.2 Networked individuals 95
5.3 The digitization of daily life 100
5.4 Internet and leisure 102
5.5 Internet and social relationships 103
5.6 Final Considerations 109
6. From sport for all to sport for everyone 113

6.1 Introduction 113
6.2 Physical-sports practice over the past twenty years 113
6.3 Physical-sporting activity and the life cycle 115
6.4 The socio-cultural profile of practitioners of physical-sport activities 117
6.5 Spatial differences 117
6.6 The motivations and places of sports 118
6.7 Physical-sports practice in the time of COVID-19 120
6.8 The sports shows 121
7. Satisfaction with leisure time measure of well-being 125

7.1 Satisfaction with leisure time 125
7.2 Increasingly satisfied with their leisure time, but family, health and friends
at the top 126
7.3 Satisfaction with leisure compared with other areas of satisfaction 129
7.4 Activities practiced in leisure time and satisfaction with this area of the
daily life 131
Index 5
Pag
7.5 Final Considerations e.
Bibliographical 135
References 136
Glossary 137
7
INTRODUCTION1
The year 2020 has already been dubbed annus horribilis 2 by many observers, a year in which
suddenly our habits have been subverted, reversing perspectives, reshaping the concept of risk
so that we consider even normal activities of daily life such as going to work, staying in school,
meeting friends, spending leisure time in activities outside the home at the cinema or theater,
playing sports at the gym, going on vacation as dangerous.
The forms and expressions of sociality, in this COVID-19 time that has dictated our agenda,
have often been considered dangerous assemblages and have become something to be
avoided, regulated, sometimes even prohibited.3 The momentous changes on everyday living have
been particularly amplified in the sphere of leisure and cultural participation, given the almost
symbiotic link between this sphere and that of social relations.
There were many initiatives put in place by the cultural and recreational production sector
(Spcc) to react to what was happening, but the backlash that resulted was very strong and was
reflected in most aspects concerning cultural participation and leisure activities. If we look, for
example, at SIAE data, published in April 20214, the 2020 budget closed with a loss of 3.8 billion
euros. The loss was not only economic (-77.4 percent at the box office), but also in admissions (-
72.7 percent) and shows (-69.4 percent) and was differentiated by type of show. Concert activity
suffered the most with a loss of 83 percent of spectators and an 89 percent drop in box office
spending. The fallout on the theater was also heavy, due to both the abrupt shutdown that took
place from the second half of February 2020 and the second lockdown at the start of the 2020-
2021 season. Taking stock of 2020 alone, the losses would have been even higher if there had
not been the revenue from the first two months of 2020 and the revenue from the summer
period (for the cinema, these periods, with some big films making box office, balanced a loss
that would have been far superior).
Data on consumption by the population also show a -26.4 percent decline in 2020 in the
chapter on "Recreation, entertainment and culture" compared to 20195. The same downward trend
can be observed from the time-series analysis of data on cultural participation outside the home,
which report sharp declines with higher declines for the enjoyment of theater performances
(15.7 percent compared to 20.3 percent in 2019), visits to museums and exhibitions (27.3
percent compared to 31.8 percent in 2019), concerts of music other than classical music, and
film shows (both down 3 percentage points compared to 2019)6. Even for library use, for which
the pool of users among people aged 6 and older had been consolidated at around 14 percent
over the past five years, a decrease of 2.5 percentage points is reported in 2020.
In contrast to what has just been observed are indoor activities: reading books reverses
the negative trend of the past eight years for the first time and stands at 41.4 percent of
readers (+1.4 percentage points compared to 2019), and hobbies, too, aided by restrictions
and more time spent at home, are characterized by an upward trend (among people aged 18
and older, in Phase 1 of the COVID-19 emergency, the share of those who dabbled in hobbies
and DIY
1 The volume was edited by Emanuela Bologna and Miria Savioli.

2 Federculture (ed.) (2021), 17th Federculture Annual Report 2021 - Enterprise Culture. Planning and restarting.
Rome: Cangemi.
3 As sociologist Pier Paolo Donati has well observed in this regard, "without relationships, the virus does not exist.
The virus i s i n t h e relationship," it is the relationship itself, when it is not understood in its scope. At
the same time, the relationship "is its remedy" (Pier Paolo Donati, Coronavirus. Strength and Quality of
Relationships, the Risks of a Selective Drift, "Avvenire.it," April 8, 2020, https://www.avvenire.
it/opinions/pages/strength-and-quality-of-relationships-the-risks-of-a-selective-drift).
4 Siae Performing Arts Observatory (ed.) (2021). Yearbook of the performing arts 2020. Rome: Siae.
5 Istat (2021). Annual report 2021. The state of the country. Rome: Istat.
6 Istat Aspects of Daily Life Survey.
at least once a week increased by at least 50 percent compared to what was observed in
2015)7.
A similar trend is being registered by television, which counts as of April 2020, in the lockdown
period of the first wave, more than 92 percent of viewers on an average day among the adult
population, with shares of more than 95 percent among the over-64 population. A television
that becomes constant support and information with respect to what is happening and that
changes its schedules and the organization of its broadcasts because of what is happening.
The venue-based events sector is undoubtedly the one that has suffered the most, vi- sta
the physical impossibility for the public to travel to cultural venues or attend events especially
during lockdown periods. All this is in addition to the specific features of the entire cultural and
recreational sector characterized by a vast fragmentation among the various segments,
widespread job insecurity that, in some cases, translates into undeclared work8 and that has not
always allowed companies and individuals operating in culture to easily access the economic
aid and facilities provided by the various decrees that have been issued as they have been
enacted9.
New modes of cultural participation certainly had a strong exploit in 2020, a year that with
many restrictions and prohibitions in the possibility of carrying out "traditional" loisir activities
created the conditions for the spread of new modes of web-based consumption and gave
impetus to already existing, but not yet widespread, forms of digital enjoyment. Can we
therefore speak of a transversal process of digital literacy? The answer is neither simple nor
unambiguous. To be sure, many cultural practices have been redistributed on the web,
transferring to the virtual sphere a quantity of experiences that before COVID-19 took place in
presence, creating a pool of audiences even among those who before COVID-19 were not
accustomed to the cultural use of the web, but this has certainly not happened for everyone, and
some analysts have feared the risk of a widening rather than a narrowing of the digital divide
among population groups that are differently digitally literate and that even during the pandemic
have remained cut off from the new trends: all of which may undermine a participatory and
democratic model of cultural participation that in the recent past was seen as the goal to strive
for.10
One must, however, come to terms with the reality of things, and it is now widely believed
that even in the post-pandemic (when this hopefully arrives) mixed forms of fruition will remain
present, combining together the classic in-person fair and online initiatives, according to new
mixes all to be invented11. Indoor-format participation in notoriously outdoor activities (sports,
theater, cinema, museums, and so on) will be a mode of leisure enjoyment that, very probably,
will remain even when the pandemic is completely over and will flank the "traditional" way in
which many cultural practices are carried out. Perhaps it will not affect the same targets as it did
in 2020. Those who can will, in fact, probably soon return to preferring real on-site experiences to
virtual and indoor ones, but those who are unable to physically travel to experience live
performances, whether because of remoteness or physical or other difficulties, will be able to
avail themselves of the surrogate but increasingly likely forms of remote performances that
have been experimented with especially in 2020.
In order to contain the difficult situation of 2020, most of the players in the cultural and
recreational production sector (Spcc) had to organize themselves to offer online events. For
example, 42.8 percent of publishers have organized events to promote and interact with readers
through social channels or their websites, 26.9 percent have organized online presentations,
readings, and reading advice from authors12. To stay close to their audiences and not let their support
be missed, publishers, especially the larger ones, also proposed initiatives to ensure free access for
teachers to webinars, services and tools for digital education (the
7 Istat (2020). Phase 1: Days at home during the lockdown. Rome. Istat.
8 Symbola Foundation - Unioncamere (ed.) (2020). I am Culture - 2020 Report.
9 Chamber of Deputies - Study Service XVIII Legislature (ed.) (2021). Measures taken following the Coronavirus
emergency (COVID-19) for the cultural heritage sector.
10 Cepell and Aie (eds.) (2021). White paper on reading and cultural consumption in Italy (2020-2021). Italian State
Printing Office and Mint.
11 https://www.eventgarde.it/il-futuro-degli-eventi-e-ibrido/.
12 Istat (2021) Production and reading of books. Rome. Istat.
Introduction 9
40.0 percent of large and 20.2 percent of medium), free ebook distribution (52.9 percent of large
and 26.3 percent of medium), and free downloading or listening to audiobooks reserved for
people with disabilities (23.5 percent of large publishers).
Certainly, the issue of investment in technology platforms and new professionalism emerges
clearly, and the belief that change will be better addressed through networking and cross-
cultural mix is reinforced. It has been observed that the success in the implementation of new
forms of digital enjoyment in the COVID-19 era by cultural production agencies (publishers,
museums, theaters, libraries, and so on) has been directly proportional to how prepared these
actors had come to the new technologies even before the pandemic. Museums that promoted
virtual collections and exhibitions worked when they had already consolidated these forms of
expression well before COVID-19, whereas this was less the case when they were mere
attempts to simply move to the web what had previously been done in presence without any kind
of transformation and adaptation to the digital medium.13
The changes taking place on cultural participation and leisure activities that have affected
our lives, especially in the last year and a half, have brought out the need to initiate through this
volume a reflection that highlights what has happened in recent years and marks the traces for
a possible path of redefinition of what can be considered the activities of cultural participation
and loisir and that take into account the new forms of leisure that, especially in some younger
target populations, have been spreading for some years now and that see the web as the
virtual place where they are realized.
Reflection should help us to understand what has happened in recent years, not just therefore in
the 2020-2021 pandemic period, and should guide us to rethink the paradigms underlying what we call
cultural participation. Is experiencing a virtual visit to a museum in which a guide accompanies us albeit
virtually to explore the secrets of a work of art really an entirely different experience from physically
going to the same museum? Can it not, instead, be considered a nonetheless culturally valuable
experience because it stimulates knowledge and interest?
Some analyses conducted from a generational perspective have pointed out that among the
younger of the new generations there has been in recent years an increase in disaffection toward
certain acts of cultural participation and conversely a hold among adults and late adults14. Should
what emerged from these analyses lead us to conclude that the new generations of young
people are culturally partici- cipating less, or that, instead, the paradigms and reference models
for defining cultural participation have simply changed and that the youth of the present are
simply characterized by other types of recreational consumption that are not assimilated to
traditional ones, but are not less valuable15?
13 Symbola Foundation - Unioncamere (ed.) (2021). I am Culture - 2021 Report.

14 Istat (2016). Annual report 2016. The state of the country. Rome: Istat.
15 Arosio F.M., A. Caramis (2019). The role of statistics in understanding the country's cultural transformations,
DigitCult | Scientific Journal on Digital Cultures. Rome: Arachne.
11
1. HOUSEHOLD SPENDING ON CULTURAL

CONSUMPTION1
1.1 Introduction
In 2020, the Italian economy and society were dominated by the health emergency
resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the sectors most affected by the
restrictive measures to prevent the contagion has been the arts and cultural activities,
particularly those that require the physical presence of the public in their spaces:
museums, biblio libraries, cinemas, theaters, and concert halls. Cinemas and live
performances, for example, experienced total closure for almost half the year, partial and
restricted openings for more than a third of the period, and ordinary operation for less
than 20 percent.
SIAE statistics show that in our country, from March to June 2020, more than one
million cinema, theater, concert and exhibition events were cancelled, corresponding to 52
million admissions and 745 million euros in total audience spending (bi- lects,
subscriptions and other expenses). Spending was reduced by 68 percent compared to the
same period in 2019. The conditional reopening phase (June 15-October 25) produced
only 52 percent of the show days that were offered in 2019. Not all activities were able to
restart, and the reopenings, due to stop-and-go trends, shrinking revenues due to access
restrictions, and concomitant increases in costs (sanitization and purchase of protective
equipment), were unable to ensure operators' economic return.
As a consequence of the pandemic situation, household spending on cultural activities,
already historically quite low, even taking into account the entire expenditure chapter
Recreation, entertainment and culture, has decreased further, losing 26.4 percent in one
year. On the other hand, it should be considered that the expenditure faced by
households does not exclusively and mechanically reflect cultural enjoyment, which can
also be provided free of charge, so a reduction in spending does not automatically mean a
reduction in consumption.
In 2020, as the pandemic broke out and heritage and entertainment venues closed,
the home became the almost exclusive center of cultural consumption, and demand for
cultural and creative content in digital mode intensified, often being offered with free
access or in lower-cost versions than conventional ones (e.g., books or movies on
demand).
Most museums offered digital content and activities free of charge. It was, therefore,
possible to go virtually to the museum, moreover, without time limits, without paying an
entrance fee, whenever one wished. All over the world, Italy compre- sented, museums
have captured new audiences, reaching segments of users who do not acce- ve to
physical offerings for a wide variety of reasons, and are now questioning how to
consolidate these new forms of participation once they return to the in-presence or
mixed-mode configuration.
1 The chapter was edited by: Annalisa Cicerchia, Andrea Cutillo and Barbara Dattilo. Sections 1.1 and 1.2 were edited
by A. Cicerchia. Paragraph 1.3 was edited by A. Cutillo. Paragraphs 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 and 1.7 were drafted by B.
Dattilo. Section 1.8 was drafted by Annalisa Cicerchia, Andrea Cutillo and Barbara Dattilo.
However, this dematerialization, as well as the inability or objective difficulty to

spo- strate, has had a very significant impact on tourism, particularly cultural tourism, a
sector of vital importance to the economy of a country like Italy because of its
extraordinary artistic and cultural heritage. Cultural tourism has also suffered the con-
sequences of the pandemic, with declines in travel for cultural activities and visits to
natural beauty down 76 percent and 44 percent, respectively, on 2019.
1.2 Pandemic and household spending on culture

Around the world, cultural and creative sectors have been heavily affected by the pande-
mia, particularly those based on enjoyment in physical spaces, such as museums, theaters,
cinemas, and performing and live arts. Unesco estimates that between 2019 and 2020, the
total turnover of the sector in the EU-27 plus the United Kingdom decreased by more than 30
percent (nearly 200 billion euros)2. As a result of the pandemic and counter measures,
there has been a sharp increase in demand for online content worldwide, which has
favored streaming platforms for music, film, and television. Many cultural institutions,
such as museums and theaters, have also rapidly ramped up their efforts to digitize and
provide online access, though not necessarily to generate revenue. This, the Oecd notes,
will likely lead to permanent changes in audience engagement and models
of content provision, creating new opportunities for innovation and growth in the future3.
On the household spending side, the lower cultural supply based on frequent-
tion of physical places has had inevitable repercussions. Traditionally, this sector still
expresses rather low cultural consumption, which has plummeted further just in the
wake of the general decline in consumption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
1.3 Household spending on culture in Italy

In 2020, the Italian economy and society were dominated by the health emergency
resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The sudden shutdown of entire segments of the
economy, with rapid effects on value-added production and employment, determined
as early as spring 2020 a very sudden and large drop in disposable income. The
subsequent, albeit partial, recovery of activities and the contrast through public support
measures put in place immediately contained the magnitude of the contraction in
disposable income, which fell much less than GDP (-2.8 percent compared to -8.9
percent) over the year as a whole.
Against this, constraints on shopping and social life and the changing com- pacts of
the population have led to a far greater decline in consumer spending than in income,
resulting in an unprecedented increase in the propensity to save. It appears, therefore,
that the slump in consumption recorded in 2020 is not so much driven by the decline in
household purchasing power, but rather is largely attributable to the reduction in
opportunities to spend due to the evolution of the pandemic and, above all, to measures
to counter the contagion: in particular, the limita-
2 World Bank, and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization - UNESCO (2021).
3 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development - OECD (2021).
ions to economic activities have focused on particular categories of goods and services,
identified as most at risk of fostering the spread of COVID-19 and not strictly essential to
the population (in particular, accommodation and food services and recreational and
cultural activities). In addition, severe constraints on social life and travel and changing
behaviors of the population have also led to a considerable drop in transportation and
clothing expenditures.
From the Household Expenditure Survey4, the estimated average monthly household
expenditure in 2020 is 2,328 euros per month in current values, down 9.0 percent from
2019. This drop takes the average current expenditure figure per household back
twenty years, to the 2000 level. To get an idea of the magnitude of the drop, consider that
in the entire two-year period 2012-2013, the period of greatest spending contraction
following the sovereign debt crisis, the overall drop had been 6.4 percent (Figure 1.1).
Figure 1.1 - Average monthly household spending by geographic breakdown. Years 2008-2020 (values in euros)
Northwest Northeas Center Sou sun talia
t th shin
e
2.648€ 2.604€ 2.640€

2.592€ 2.550€ 2.564€ 2.571€ 2.560€
2.471€ 2.489€ 2.499€ 2.524€
2.328€
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Source: Istat, Household Expenditure Survey.
That of 2020, however, constitutes a unique episode, in which the con- sums, from
a temporal, spatial and commodity category perspective, were almost completely
determined by the evolution of the health crisis and the related prudential behaviors of the
population.
Time-wise, during 2020 consumer spending followed a pattern affected by the
factors outlined above (Table 1.1). The decline compared to the same period of the
previous year was highest in the second quarter of 2020 (-17.3 percent) and, after a
partial recovery in the third quarter, reached almost 10 percent in the fourth quarter.
Spatially, too, the reduction in household spending is coe- rente with the spread of the
pandemic: in fact, it affected the whole country, but was most intense in northern Italy (-
10.2 percent the Northwest and -9.5 the Northeast), followed by the Center (-8.8) and
the South (-8.2 the South and -5.9 the Islands).
The reduction of consumption has been very differentiated with respect to different
categories of goods and services. National and regional, sometimes even municipal,
authorities have, in fact, put in place numerous measures to curb COVID-19 that have
largely followed the time frame of its spread across the country. These measures first
blocked, and then severely restricted, entire sectors of economic activity and the
possibility of purchasing particular categories of goods and services, with particular
restrictions.
4 https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/71980.
larly rigid for recreational and cultural activities and for accommodation and food
services. Moreover, on the demand side, they have greatly reduced spending
opportunities, also combining with the prudential behaviors adopted by individuals to
limit risk.
Table 1.1 - Average monthly household expenditure by geographic breakdown and expenditure chapter. Years 2019 and 2020 (values in euros)
GEOGRAPHICAL BREAKDOWN
ITALY
CHAPTER OF EXPENDITURE NORTHWEST NORT -EAST CENTER SOUTH ISLANDS
H
2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020
AVERAGE MONTHLY EXPENDITURE 2.810 2.523 2.790 2.525 2.754 2.511 2.068 1.898 2.071 1.949 2.560 2.328
Food and beverages
non-alcoholic 465 453 444 458 476 482 482 478 443 477 464 468
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 49 47 45 43 47 46 45 38 40 34 46 43
Clothing and footwear 115 77 111 92 108 84 120 94 123 104 115 88
Housing, water, electricity, gas and
other 1.005 996 973 944 1.026 1.033 663 678 676 684 896 893
fuels
Furniture, household items and services 119 109 123 127 115 107 88 77 97 93 110 104
Health services and health expenditures 128 119 129 119 120 109 100 92 104 89 118 108
Transportation 327 249 341 253 296 221 213 158 225 179 288 217
Communications 63 58 60 54 61 57 52 49 57 51 59 54
Recreation, entertainment and culture 147 110 159 118 141 103 81 58 77 58 127 93
Education 19 17 20 15 16 16 10 9 11 8 16 14
Accommodation and food services 163 101 163 105 143 83 69 42 76 43 130 79
Other goods
Source: and services
Istat, Household (a)
Expenditure Survey. 210 189 221 198 205 170 144 125 142 130 190 167
(a) Include personal care goods and services, personal effects, social welfare services, insurance and financial services.
Consistent with the type of restrictions imposed, as well as with the varying degree
of compressibility of the expenditures themselves, compared to 2019, spending on
groceries and housing remain essentially unchanged. These are, in fact, expenditures
that are difficult to compress and only marginally affected by the restrictions on
purchases, and which may, indeed, have been affected by the increased permanence
of households in the home. Spending on all other chapters is worth a total of 967 euros
per month, falling 19.3 percent compared to 2019. The most drastic decreases are
observed, however, for the very spending chapters on which the restraint measures
have acted most directly, namely Accommodation and Food Services (-38.9 percent)
and Recreation, Entertainment and Culture (-26.4), followed by chapters that have
been penalized by the restriction on movement and sociality, namely Transportation (-
24.6) and Clothing and Footwear (-23.3 percent) (Figure 1.2).
Figure 1.2 - Composition of average household spending by expenditure chapter. Years 2019 and 2020 (percentage
composition compared to total average monthly expenditure)
2019 2020
38,4
35,0
21,1 21,0
20,1
18,
11,3
9,3
4,5 5,0 5,1

3,8 4,0 3,4
Food products andClothing andHousing, Transpor Recreation,Receptive

water,
soft drinks footwear electricity, gas and tation services
entertainment and culture and d Altr cap tol d sp
catering (a)
other
combustibil
(a) Alcoholic beverages and tobacco; Furniture, household goods and services; Health services and expenses; Communications; Education; Other goods and services.
Preliminary estimates for the first quarter of 2021 indicate a further 3.4 percent decline in
average monthly spending compared to the same period last year. The decline continues to
be concentrated on expenditures other than food and housing (-7.5 percent compared to the
first quarter of 2020), and it is still accommodation and food services (-38.1 percent) and
recreation, entertainment and culture (-20.9 percent) that suffer the most.
To further confirm the uniqueness of 2020, with respect to consumption
behavior, a comparison with the aforementioned 2012 sovereign debt crisis may be
useful. In 2012, based on the National Accounts, gross disposable income at current
prices of consumer households decreased by 2.8 percent, and the decline in
consumption was more content, mitigated by the reduction in the gross savings rate
of consumer households (from 8.2 percent in 2011 to 6.7 in 2012). From the
Household Expenditure Survey, the average monthly household expenditure fell by 3.4
percent, but food and housing expenditures decreased by 1.9 percent overall, while all
other items fell by 5.2 percent (-8.1 percent expenditure on Recreation, entertainment
and culture). There was thus a generalized decline in consumption, brought about by
the worsening economic conditions of households, which was less intense for the ex-
sential and less compressible components.
In 2020, as disposable income declined in a similar way to 2012, household spending
contracted by 9 percent, but the decline was driven exclusively by commodity categories
other than food and housing (-19.3 percent), while spending on food and housing remained
almost unchanged. This corresponded to a doubling of the savings rate, which rose within
a year to 15.8 percent.
With equal effects on household income, the two episodes are, therefore, quite
difference. In 2020, the collapse in consumption appears to be only partly related to a
deterioration in spending capacity, while it is mainly attributable to objective
constraints on the ability to spend and also to changes in behavior induced by health
risks and limited sociality. In 2012, on the other hand, the collapse in consumer
spending was essentially driven by a sharp drop in incomes, which was not offset by
specific support measures. It is therefore plausible that, as the epidemiological
situation improves and the vaccination campaign progresses, the slump in spending
can be reabsorbed in a relatively short period of time, while not forgetting that certain
sectors are still being penalized by health containment measures (e.g. with respect to
spending on culture, the capacity of cinemas and theaters is, as of the end of
September 2021, still severely reduced).
It should also be emphasized that cultural consumption due directly or indirectly to
school activity (visits to museums and sites, participation in shows and concerts, etc.),
which not only represent a significant item in the overall volume of income of many
cultural institutions and organizations, but also have a fundamental importance in the
formation of students' taste and consumption habits in the years to come, have been
severely affected by the almost total suppression of in-presence teaching. From a long-term
perspective, it is necessary to consider that the effects of the crisis have worsened a
situation of already very scarce resources that families traditionally devote to cultural
consumption. Since the beginning of the historical series available for the Household
Expenditure Survey (which dates back to 1997), the average expenditure for the chapter
Recreation, entertainment and culture in current values has in fact been continuously
declining (Figure 1.3). It started from 148 euros per month to a high of 161 euros in 2000
and then gradually declined to a low of 121 euros in 2013. After a phase of stability (127
euros in 2019), in 2020 there was a
plummeted to an average of 93 euros. That is to say, excluding 2020 because of its anomalous
nature, spending on the chapter had still fallen in just over 20 years by 14 percent
(compared with an increase in total average spending of 17.1 percent over the same time
frame).
Figure 1.3 -2020 (indexmonthly
Average numberstotal
withand
1997 base)
per-chapter expenditure Recreation, entertainment and culture in current
values. Years 1997- Average household Recreation, entertainment and
expenditure culture
130
120
110
100
90
80
70
60
Even worse is the situation when considering average household spending at

constant prices. Through specific price indexes, in fact, it is possible to deflate spending
by individual chapter by holding prices steady at the year of the beginning of the historical
series, 1997. In this way, in 2019, spending on the chapter Recreation, entertainment and
culture turns out to be down by 29.5 percent in just over two decades (compared with
a decline in total average spending of 19.6 percent anyway).
As a result of these trends, the share of spending that households devote to the
chapter in total expenditures has also been steadily declining. While in 1997 this share
was 6.8 percent of the total, it gradually declined to 4.9 percent in 2011, to remain roughly
constant until 2019 (5.0 percent), before plummeting in 2020 to 4.0 percent (Figure 1.4).
The level and composition of spending are obviously greatly influenced by the
economic condition of households. As is logical, total expenditure, as well as that of
individual chapters, increases as the economic situation of households improves.
However, the weight of some chapters in total spending (e.g., food and housing) is greater
when the economic situation is generally worse, while other chapters, such as
accommodation and food services and recreation, entertainment, and culture, have a
larger share as the economic situation improves.
Figure 1.4 - Share of spending on the chapter Recreation, entertainment and culture in total average household
spending.
Years 1997-2020 (percentage values)
Recreation, entertainment and culture
8
Table 1.2 shows, for 2019 and 2020, absolute value expenditures and shares of
expenditures according to the educational qualification and occupational status of the
re- ferment person. Precisely because of the particularity of 2020, we consider 2019 to be
more representative of the resources that households allocate to cultural
expenditures.
With respect to educational qualification, the average expenditure devoted to the
chapter Recreation, entertainment, and culture in 2019 is 45 euros for households
whose reference person (Pr) has at most an elementary school degree, 101 for those
with Pr with a lower secondary degree, 158 for households with Pr with an upper
secondary degree, and 222 euros for those with Pr with at least a college degree. The
share of spending devoted to the chapter also varies widely (from 2.7 percent of the
total for the former to 6.2 percent of the total for the latter) (Table 1.2).
It is entrepreneurs and freelancers who spend the most on the chapter (236 euros
per month), followed by executives and office workers (211 euros per month); however,
it is the latter who desti- nate a larger share of total spending than the former (6.4 percent
compared to 6.0 percent). In contrast, households whose Pr is seeking employment or
inactive, but not retired from work, allocate the smallest shares (74 and 65 euros,
respectively, accounting for 4.0 percent and 3.6 percent of the total).
For the household expenditure survey, Istat follows the international classification
of consumption expenditures ECoicop (European Classification of Individual
COnsumption by Purpose), which is a classification of consumption according to the
purpose of expenditure. It is a hierarchical classification, in which the twelve
expenditure chapters (or divisions) are disaggregated into groups, which in turn are
disaggregated into classes, which in turn are disaggregated into subclasses5. If in the
5 Like any international classification, the ECoicop classification has the merit of allowing comparisons between
different countries. However, because it is a classification that covers all types of expenditures, it has the shortcoming
of being forcibly generic compared to what a classification for a single specific aspect might be. To give one
example among many possible ones, if the definition of expenditures for culture were to include expenditures
for food and wine knowledge of a specific area, to be explored through restaurants, wine bars, etc., these
expenditures would actually fall not under the chapter Recreation, Entertainment and Culture but under the
chapter Accommodation and Food Services. On the other hand, on the other hand, the chapter devoted to
culture runs the risk of being too inclusive, making it include expense items that are difficult to categorize as
culture expenses. A striking example is expenditures on betting contests (i.e., lotto and lotteries), which, according to
ECoicop, fall under recreational leisure expenditures, and therefore should be included in the chapter.
expenditure chapter Recreational and cultural services do not include spending on

recreational and sports services (as well as a few items that are unlikely to relate to
cultural spending), we obtain an estimate of spending on the purchase of cultural goods
and services in the narrow sense.
Table 1.2 - Average total and average expenditure on Recreation, entertainment and culture by educational
qualification and occupational status of the household reference person. Years 2019 and 2020 (values in
euros and percentage values)
YEAR
2019 2020
Share of Share of
Average Average
spending spending
Average monthly Average monthly
on on
expenditure expenditure recreation, expenditure expenditure recreation,
monthly on entertainm monthly on entertainm
(euro) Recreation, ent and (euro) Recreation, ent and
entertainmen entertainmen
culture in culture in
t and culture t and culture
the total the total
(euros) (euros)
(%) (%)
CERTIFICATE
Elementary school diploma/no education 1.678 45 2,7 1.596 33 2,0
Junior high school 2.349 101 4,3 2.103 74 3,5
Diploma 2.835 158 5,6 2.549 113 4,4
Bachelor's degree or more 3.587 222 6,2 3.169 162 5,1
PROFESSIONAL STATUS
Manager, cadre and clerk 3.273 211 6,4 2.949 154 5,2
Laborer and assimilated 2.321 107 4,6 2.135 80 3,7
Entrepreneur and freelancer 3.918 236 6,0 3.471 187 5,4
Other independent 2.940 157 5,4 2.647 116 4,4
Seeking employment 1.853 74 4,0 1.776 62 3,5
Withdrawn from work 2.355 96 4,1 2.151 68 3,2
In other condition (other than retired from work) 1.805 65 3,6 1.677 50 3,0
Total 2.560 127 5,0 2.328 93 4,0
However, it should be remembered that, under special conditions, many cultural

activities can be chosen without incurring any expense: one can read a book borrowed
from a library or from a friend, the newspaper provided by the coffee shop, go to a free
live show, or visit a museum on days or at times with free access. Thus, while spending
on books, performances, art venues, and culture in general is not a comprehensive
measure of cultural consumption, it can still be considered an indicator of the
preferences expressed by the population based on their distinctive tastes, influenced
by education and lifestyles.
In absolute terms, in the period between 2013 and 2019, family units allocated
between 64 (in 2013) and 72 (in 2016) euros per month to the purchase of cultural
goods and services in the narrow sense, compared with spending on the chapter
Recreational and Cultural Services between 121 (in 2013 and 2014) and 130 (in 2016
and 2017) euros per month. In 2020, at the same time as the overall decline in total
spending, there is a sharp reduction, with spending on culture falling to 48 euros per
month and that of the entire chapter to 93 euros.
Relating cultural consumption to total household spending, the picture that
emerges, rather than describing an abrupt slowdown, documents a permanent
marginality of spending on culture in the narrow sense, with values that even in the
period of maximum expansion did not reach 3 percent of total spending, with
fluctuations of a few de- cimeters over the years, going from a high of 2.9 percent in
2016 to 2.7 percent in 2019, to 2.1 percent in 2020.
If consumption is ordered by the region of residence of the household's reference person,
his or her level of education and occupational status, the changes from the national average
percentage value of an expenditure on cultural goods and services-which weighs 2.1 percent
of total household expenditure in 2020-are significant. At the level
territorial, only the Northeast shows a small advantage (three-tenths higher). The South
and the Islands are below the average, at 1.7 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively.
Among households in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano saw the largest contraction,
with the share of spending on cultural goods and services in total spending falling from
4.5 percent in 2013 to 3.2 percent in 2019, and plummeting to 1.9 percent in 2020. Trento,
on the other hand, held its positions during the same period, falling only from 3 to 2.5
percent. Basilicata lost more in one year than it had gained with Matera's title as European
Capital of Culture: starting from a share of 1.8 percent in 2013, it had risen to 2.3 percent in
2019 (from 1.7 percent the previous year), thanks in part to substantial European and
national investment in cultural production and consumption, but rebounded backward to
1.3 percent in 2020. In the Islands, the share dropped from 2.2 to 1.6. In the South, Puglia
went from 2.1 to 1.5, and Calabria, which started at 2.1, comes in at the lowest in the
country, 1.4 percent. Lazio finds itself back at the point from which it started in 2013
(2.1), after reaching 3 in 2016. Emilia-Romagna went back a bit: from 2.9 to 2.6.
Lombardy fell back from 3 to 2.2, but it is Piedmont, which had reached 3.3 in 2017, that
contracted even more in culture spending, landing at 2.1.
For executive, managerial, and white-collar households, the incidence of spending on culture is
dropped from 3.7 percent in 2019 to 2.8 percent in 2020. Working-class households
express lower-than-average spending on culture (1.9 percent of total spending).
Among business and self-employed households, the incidence is 2.9 percent (-0.8
percentage points compared to 2019, roughly the same reduction as the entire
spending chapter. Among retirees, there is a drop to 1.5 percent, but even for them
the reduction is smaller than the cut in their recreation spending. They hold, albeit at
modest levels, the expenditures of households whose reference person is seeking
employment, rising from 2 percent in 2019 to 1.9 percent in 2020, and who have, on
the other hand, sacrificed more in their spending on recreation.
1.4 Cultural tourism in Italy: a shared definition

Cultural tourism is a type of tourism that is constantly evolving because it is closely
connected with changes in the society from which it takes its life, which determine what
elements make it up. A recent internationally agreed definition6 characterizes cultural tourism
as that type of tourism whose essential visitor motivation is to learn, discover,
experience and consume the cultural products present in a tourist destination. The range
of attractions varies from tangible ones, such as monuments, museums, and
archaeological sites, to intangible ones, related, for example, to the world of literature,
film, music, and theater, as well as to performing arts, folklore, crafts, food and wine,
religious, and spiritual traditions, and even to include the products of so-called creative
industries, such as design, architecture, and fashion. When we talk about cultural tourism,
we often also include landscape-naturalistic tourism, aimed at discovering the natural
beauty of the place visited, such as national reserves and monuments, or national parks.
A broader definition, then, is one that includes all these forms of tourism
born from the enjoyment of heritage: artistic, historical, natural and landscape-cultural.
6 United Nations World Tourism Organization - UNWTO (2019). https://doi.org/10.18111/9789284420858.

In recent years, this type of tourism has become increasingly important, both in the
European context and in our country, partly because of the extraordinary artistic,
monumental and archaeological heritage with which the territories are endowed. As
reported on the website of the European Union7, there is "recognition of the importance of
culture as part of the Eu- ropean tourism experience and as an element that can raise
Europe's profile as a global destination." Indeed, it is estimated that at the European level,
cultural tourism covers about 40 percent of the complete international flows.
However, the crisis triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak has put the tourism and
culture sectors, in particular, in great difficulty, which have been greatly affected by the
measures taken to contain the pandemic, from lockdowns and social distancing to closures
of economic activities and national and international borders. The small recovery in
tourism flows observed during the summer of 2020 had raised hopes for a revival of the
tourism sector, but the continuation of the pandemic with the consequent closures in Italy,
until the first quarter of 2021, and of European borders, until the adoption of the green
pass on July 1 of the same year, allowed us to see some positive signs only from the second
quarter of 2021, which was also partly confirmed by the preliminary data on the summer. If
exogenous factors related to the pandemic allow it, resident tourism will perhaps return to
pre-pandemic levels from the summer of 2022, first strengthening the recovery, already
under way, of the domestic leisure segment, and only then, from 2023 onward, the
outbound and, finally, the business share. This will consequently, also have a positive
impact on the recovery of cultural tourism.
1.5 Residents' cultural and scenic tourism

In the period 2015-2018, the shares of vacations in Italy and abroad taken by residents, in
which cultural participation or the discovery of natural beauty is the prevalent activity8 , were
rather stable and, on average, approximately one-fifth of the total (Table 1.3). In 2019,
however, a decline was observed for the first time, bringing cultural vacations to 16.9
percent and scenic vacations to 13.5 percent. It is, however, in 2020 that, due to the
measures taken to contain the pandemic, there is a sharp decline in holiday flows (-45 percent),
affecting both landscape tourism (-44 percent) and especially cultural tourism (-76 percent).
For the latter, the share of cultural vacations, falls below 10 percent for the first time, while
scenic vacations, which show greater resilience affect 13.3 percent of vacations, as in 2019.
These types of vacations have well-delineated profiles that are maintained even in
2020, despite the sharp decline due to the health emergency. Cultural vacations are soli-
tially taken more abroad (17.1 percent of total vacations in 2020) than in Italy (6.3 percent)
and are more frequent during short stays9 (10.6 percent) than during
7 https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/tourism/offer/cultural_en.
8 The predominant activity of a leisure or pleasure vacation is what uniquely characterizes it. Trips of this type can be
associated with those undertaken by tourists known in the literature as "highly motivated" [Lord G.D.,1999], for
w h o m culture or scenery is the necessary motivation to go. As shown by a survey of international flows
conducted in 2015 by Unwto [Unwto, 2018], this type of measurement based on the detection of subjective
motivation intercepts a smaller pool of trips than is obtained by applying an objective approach, based on the
detection of cultural/landscape activities carried out during the trip, regardless of the main motivation for the trip.
This second type of measurement also makes it possible to intercept trips by tourists that the literature defines as
"partially motivated" [Irish Tourist Board, 1988]. This aggregate is the subject of analysis in Section 1.7.
9 In the context of tourism statistics, "short" is defined as stays lasting between one and three nights and,
long (4.3 percent) (Figure 1.5). In contrast, scenic vacations, usually directed almost
equally in Italian and foreign destinations, were taken more in Italy (13.6 percent) than
abroad (9.3 percent) in 2020 due to the collapse of foreign travel. As usual, also in 2020,
scenic vacations are little diversified with respect to duration (12 percent short vacations
and 14.2 percent long vacations) and are, on average, two nights longer (5.9 nights) than
those characterized by cultural activities (4.2 nights).
Table 1.3 - Leisure/leisure vacations by prevalent type of activity engaged in. Years 2015-2020 (percentage values)
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
YEARS Natural beauties Entertainment,
Cultural activities (a) local rest or relaxation Other activities (b) Total
2015 22,2 20,8 45,5 11,4 100,0
2016 19,6 21,9 48,0 10,5 100,0
2017 17,1 20,2 52,2 10,6 100,0
2018 20,4 17,6 49,0 13,0 100,0
2019 16,9 13,5 57,8 11,8 100,0
2020 7,0 13,3 70,7 9,0 100,0
Source: Istat, Travel and Vacation Survey

(a) In all tables and charts, "Cultural activities" includes visits to artistic, monumental and archaeological heritage, participation in music, folklore, shows
and exhibitions, and food and wine vacations. Religious tourism was not included among cultural activities.
(b) In all tables and charts, "Other Activities" includes health/wellness treatments without prescription, shopping, study vacation, sports vacation,
practicing hobbies, participating as a spectator at sporting events, visiting theme parks, and volunteering.
Figure 1.5 - Leisure/leisure vacations by type of vacation, main destination, and prevalent type of activity engaged in.
Year 2020 (percentage values)
Att tà t B t de uog D t t po A ttt
3 tt 10,6 12,0 65,2 12,2

VACATION
T POLOG A OF
4p tt 4 .3 14,2 74,9 6,5

THE
TOTAL 6 .3 13,6 71,6 8,6

DEST NAZ ONE
t ia 17, 9,3 59,3 14,3
Et 7,0 13,3 70,7 9,0
Cultural vacations have their own seasonality: they are more frequent in autumn, when
they absolutely represent the prevailing type, and in winter, as opposed to scenic
vacations, which are preferred in spring and summer, periods climatically more favorable
to outdoor activities.
Seasonality is confirmed in 2020, although the shares are much smaller: for
cultural vacations, the largest shares are in winter (16.1 percent in 2020, 31.8 percent
in 2019) and autumn (14.3 percent in 2020, 31.5 percent in 2019). For vacations with
visits to local natural beauty, the spring and summer quarters maintain similar vacation
shares as in the previous year (10.1 percent in spring, 15.5 percent in summer) (Table
1.4).
"long," those of four nights or more.

Table 1.4 - Leisure/leisure vacations by prevalent type of activity engaged in and quarter. Year 2020 (percentage values)
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
QUARTER Natural beauties Entertainment,
Cultural activities Other activities Total
local rest or relaxation
January-March 16,1 6,5 53,2 24,2 100,0
April-June 7,4 10,1 76,5 6,0 100,0
July-September 4,5 15,5 74,7 5,3 100,0
October- 14,3 8,1 59,4 18,2 100,0
December
Total 7,0 13,3 70,7 9,0 100,0
In general, cultural vacations are more structured than other types of va- canze, and
this characteristic is confirmed in 2020 as well: when traveling to "do culture," more
people choose paid accommodations, such as hotels, rented housing, or
bed&breakfasts; they use their own cars less, airplanes, trains, and tourist coaches more.
Usually, for this type of vacation, air travel reaches shares of even more than 30 percent,
but, in 2020, the sharp decline in travel abroad, the usual destination for cultural
vacations, has favored the use of those means most frequently used to reach "close"
destinations, such as one's own car, which is also considered safer in the pandemic
context.
These peculiarities of cultural vacations make the use of online booking services
particularly prevalent, especially for lodging, and ultimately result in higher average daily
travel expenditures. For cultural vacations spent in paid accommodations, spending is
higher than that reported for entertainment/relaxation-only vacations (96 euros versus
75 euros, in 2020).
Even when staying to visit the natural beauties of the place, pa- ging facilities are
preferred over the others and, among these, the hotel is confirmed as the predominant
choice. However, the longer duration of this type of vacation also directs the choice to
types of accommodation more suitable for longer stays, such as rental housing and
campsites, the latter with the advantage of being able to enjoy contact with nature. In
contrast to cultural vacations, the choice of means of transportation is in line with what
is observed for vacations as a whole, and the automobile prevails, to the detriment of
other means. For these vacan- tions, the use of online booking is also widespread for
accommodation, but taking into account the characteristics of the trip, the average
expenditure is lower than for cultural vacations and more similar to that of vacations as
a whole (82 euros versus 78 euros for total vacations in 2020).
With respect to destinations, the Italian regions that welcome the most cultural va-
cances are those where there are large state-owned museums, which act as attractors.
In almost the entire 2015-2019 period, they lead the ranking mainly Tuscany and Lazio,
followed by Veneto and Lombardy. In addition to permanent endowments, the staging
of major cultural events also helps to attract tourists, as was the case in 2015 for
Lombardy in conjunction with the Milan Expo (22.1 percent of cultural vacations in
Italy, compared with flows usually below 10 percent) and, in 2019, for Basilicata when
Matera was declared European Capital of Culture (6.3 percent, compared with shares
usually below 1.0 percent). In 2020, on the other hand, with the opposite sign, Lazio loses
its supremacy due to a sharp drop in flows to major art cities, attributable to the effects of
the pandemic (15.4 percent in 2019, 7.9 percent in 2020), while, in addition to the
confirmation of Tuscany, regions such as Umbria and Piedmont emerge. Trentino-Alto
Adige, due to its natural beauty, holds the record for scenic vacations in the period
considered (averaging 17.6 percent between 2015 and 2020), flanked by some southern
destinations, such as Puglia, Sicily and Sardinia. Finally, Emilia-Romagna does not
always emerge among the top destinations for cultural tourism because entertainment
and seaside attractions predominate in the region's tourism offerings.
1.6 The profile of the tourist who takes cultural and scenic vacations
As with vacations, the socio demographic characteristics of the tourists10 who take
them are also well defined. If when traveling the gender distinction is not a
discriminating factor, when engaging in cultural tourism, on the other hand, it is women
who prevail, with a gap of at least ten percentage points over the male population,
which persists, to a lesser extent, even for scenic vacations. Both cultural and scenic
vacations are taken predominantly by those in the 45-64 age group (40 percent on
average during 2015-2020). Among young people aged 15-24, interest in culture stands
out only if it is in a foreign destination (17 percent on average over the five-year period),
while among those over64, greater interest emerges in vacations with visits to natural
heritage (16.8 percent on average). There are more cultural tourists among people
with high educational qualifications (about 40 percent in 2020, with the share
increasing over time), while the tourist who takes vacations to discover natural heritage
does not seem to be characterized with respect to educational level, with shares similar
to those for vacations overall.
1.7 Cultural and scenic tourism during summer 2020

In the two-year period 2019-2020, the importance of cultural and scenic tourism
was observed for the first time on the total number of trips, made for any motivation,
whether personal or business, not only on vacations aimed at the exclusive
performance of such activities. Due to the pandemic, the comparison can only be made on
the summer period of 202011, when tourism had shown a sign of recovery. Despite the
crisis in the sector, cultural activities and visits to natural beauty continue to exert a
strong attractiveness in the summer period even though the incidence of trips in which
at least one cultural activity is practiced drops from 63.1 percent in 2019 to 56 percent in
2020, while the share of trips with at least one visit to natural heritage remains stable
(52.0 percent of total summer travel in both 2019 and 2020).
Among the activities practiced during a trip, summer visits to cities and towns are
still the favorite (85.7 percent in 2020) and suffer less than the others from the impact of the
pandemic (-22.5 percent). They are followed in order of preference, as in 2019, by visits
to historical or archaeological monuments and sites (44.0 percent) and visits to typical
local markets (28.6 percent) (Figure 1.6). A major contraction, however, is observed in
the share of travel to attend shows and events (from 29.6 percent in 2019 to 11.3
percent in 2020), which slips this activity after visits to museums and exhibitions (22.1
percent)
10 In this case, however, since cultural tourism can be considered the result of a conscious choice of the active part
of the population (15 years and older), which decides what activities to do during the stay, the descriptive analysis
focuses on this segment.
11 Months of July, August and September.
and after food and wine-related activities (20.0 percent). Always residual are visits to
factories for the production of goods and services (4.0 percent).
Figure 1.6 - Trips with at least one cultural activity by type of activity, summer quarter. Years 2019 and 2020 (percentage
values)
2019 2020
85,7
78,7
45,6 44,0
33,8
28,6 29,6
25,7
22,1
19,7 20,0
11,3
5,2 4,0
Cities, towns, villages Monuments, sites Typical local markets Shows, events Museums, Food and wine Factories
exhibitions
1.8. Final considerations

The 2020 pandemic counter measures have had a significant impact on the cultural
consumption profile of Italian households. The prolonged closures and intermittent
and contingent reopenings of museums, libraries, cinemas, theaters, concert halls-in
short, of all venue-based activities-represented, rather than an abrupt halt, the
downward acceleration of a spending dynamic that had long been marginal when
compared with the choices of other types of discretionary consumption. Cultural
spending in the narrow sense has continued to decline, partly as a result of the digitization
of much of the of- ferta and the increasing availability of free cultural goods and services
(think, for example, of music or journalistic information), as well as the phenomenon of
piracy.
In this sense, the forced migration to digital platforms that characterized the months of
lockdown and those of in-presence access restrictions may not only have temporarily altered
the mode of consumption of museums, cinema, theater, and music, but also contributed to
the emergence of new modes, which may continue to be preferred over in-presence ones in the
future, both for precautionary reasons and because of the easier and unrestricted access and
lower direct and indirect costs (transportation, possible stay, etc.).
Slightly different is the discourse on cultural tourism, which, although it has suffered a
sharp decline as a result of restrictions and closures, has shown itself capable of
renewing itself and making adjustments such as to lead to the rediscovery of proximity
destinations, rewarding small towns and areas of significant cultural, scenic and natural
interest, different from those usually frequented by mass tourism. In fact, large cities of art
have remained penalized, both as a result of the closures of their major cultural attractors,
and as a result of the decline in foreign clientele, which, more than residents, is
concentrated in such destinations, and to meet the need for a more collected and less
crowded tourism. However, the time is not yet ripe to say whether domestic demand,
after discovering different places and destinations related, for example, to small villages
or landscape, will lead to permanent changes, with the development of new forms of
cultural tourism.
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Development and Inclusive Growth. Washington, D.C., U.S.: World Bank.
27
2. TELEVISION AND RADIO BETWEEN TRADITION AND

INNOVATION1
2.1 The role of television and radio in the last two decades: between information and entertainment
In recent years the evolution of cultural participation in Italy, and more generally in
modern society, has been remarkable in terms of both consumption and supply. The
advent of the Internet and new technologies has brought about a mutation in cultural
consumption behaviors and media, and radio and, even more so, television are adapting
their offerings accordingly.
In analyzing the origin of these media, the different speed with which they have
reached a wide audience is well known. As Castells states, "radio took thirty years to
reach sixty million people, television reached this level of diffusion in fifteen years; the
Internet did so in only three years since the birth of the world wide web. "2 Fo r Italy, the
available data on radio and television subscriptions from Rai sources and covering the
period 1936-2014 allow us to confirm this trend and highlight the rise of these
instruments, which have not only represented a form of entertainment and custom,
but have also contributed to the linguistic education of the population, the dissemination
of information and forms and expressions of culture in the
different social classes.
Figure 2.1 - Italian radio and television subscriptions. Years 1936-2014 (values in thousands)
Rad (a) Te (b)
18 000 000
16 000 000
14 000 000
2 000 000
10 000 000
8.000.000
6.000.000
4.000.000
2.000.000
Source: ISTAT calculations from Italian radio television (RAI) data.

(a) Data refer to radio-audience subscriptions only (no longer published and no longer available since 1990).
(b) The data refer to special subscriptions (subscriptions owed by those who own or hold one or more devices suitable for receiving radio and television broadcasts in premises
open to the public) and private use.
1 The chapter was edited by Emanuela Bologna and Elisabetta Del Bufalo. Sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4 were edited
by E. Del Bufalo. Sections 2.5, 2.6 and 2.7 were edited by E. Bologna.
2 Castells (1996).
Beginning with the first experiments in the 1920s, radio managed to reach 700,000
subscriptions as early as the 1930s and nearly one million in 1938 (Figure 2.1).
Subsequently, the 1950s and 1960s saw exponential growth of this medium, years in
which television took its first steps. In 1954, television programs begin to be broadcast
on a regular basis, and this "new" media conquers Italians. It goes from almost 90
thousand subscriptions in 1954, to 10 million subscriptions in 1971, to just over 17
million in 2014.
Various turning points in Italy and around the world have characterized the evolution
of these mass communication systems3 and have determined their diffusion and evolution in
technology and content: the advent of television and commercial radio in the 1980s and
1990s that brought about the so-called "commercial deluge, "4 the na- scence of digital and
satellite television, and the emergence of the Internet and related technologies that are
so much changing both the supply and the habits of radio and television viewing
especially among the younger generations.
A time series analysis of data from the ISTAT survey "Aspects of Daily Life "5 allows
us to state that over the past two decades there has been a steady but slow
disaffection toward television enjoyment, which nevertheless still remains the most
widely used medium for people with a 91 percent share of viewers among the
population aged 3 and older (Figure 2.2). Since 1993, television enjoyment has been
decreasing by about 5 percent. Although decreasing for both gen- eras, however, since
2014 there is a slight but higher prevalence of women who have a habit of watching
television. Specifically, in 2020 the gender difference is 1.5 percentage points in favor of
women.
Figure 2.2 - People aged 3 and older who watch television and listen to the radio by gender. Years 1993-2020
(percentage values)
Males: Television Female: Television Total: Television
Males: Radio Females: Radio Total: Radio
100
95
90
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
Source: Istat, Aspects of Daily Life Survey
3 Mancini (2012).
4 Blumler (1992).
5 Istat "Aspects of Daily Life" survey: https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/91926.
Radio is an entertainment and information tool that tends to involve a smaller

number of people. Over the years, radio has been characterized by a steeper decline in
listenership than television: between 1993 and 2020 it is 4.6 percentage points (-7.5
percent). Between 2016 and 2019 there is a growth from 53.0 percent, the lowest value
for the period, to 58.8 in 2019. In 2020 there is again a decline of 2.4 percentage points
from previous years (Figure 2.2).
Radio is a communication tool chosen in a higher percentage by men, although this
difference has changed over the years. In 1993, a gender gap of 3.5 percentage points
was observed. This gap disappeared ten years later and up to 2007, while already in the
following period, starting in 2008, the gap became newly evident, reaching 4.5
percentage points in 2020.
The share of children between the ages of 3 and 5 who watch television increased
between 2000 and 2020 by about 5 percentage points (from 88.7 to 94.2), which
indicates how television persists with a strong role in this age group also due to an
increasing supply of products dedicated to it both by the television gener- list and
specialized children's channels. For adolescents and young people, on the other hand,
an opposite trend and a decrease in the share of viewers is noted (from 15 to 19 years old
there is a decrease from 94.0 percent to 82.2 percent while between 20 and 24 years old
there is a decrease from 93.1 percent to 82.2 percent). For this age group, it can be
assumed that the emergence of the Internet has broadened and varied the range of
content to be enjoyed outside of television. In- fact starting in 2015, more sharply, the
curve of these viewers begins to bend, losing 10 percentage points when compared
with that of 2020.
Among adults aged 25 to 64, the trend in the share of television viewers has a seesaw
trend, but with a steeper decline in more recent years. Only for the over-64s an opposite trend
can be glimpsed linked, probably, to an established connection with this information and
entertainment tool that can be enjoyed by all regardless of health conditions. The elderly,
moreover, still remain a part of the population with fewer skills in the use of new technologies
thus remaining very attached to television. For the analysis of radio listening trends over
time, age is also a discriminating variable. In the time series analysis of how many people
listen to radio, two population groups with homogeneous behavior can be identified.
From ages 3 to 34, a decrease is observed over the twenty years under study: a 24.4
percent decline is observed between ages 3 and 14 and 27.2 percent between ages 15
and 34. In the later stages of life, however, there is an increase in the incidence of radio
listeners between the ages of 45 and 64, 16.6 percent between the ages of 45 and 54 and
21.7 percent between the ages of 55 and 64, respectively.
2.2 Television and radio across generations
Analysis by age group allows us to observe the role of television in the life cycle of
individuals. Such an analysis viewed in the time trend can help us better understand the
change in television viewing habits among different generations, linked both to the
change in life times, which has occurred over time, and to the advent of new modes of
communication and information driven by the Internet and digital through increasingly
innovative devices (tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, and so on).
The habit of watching television and listening to the radio are identifiable as
cultural habits that derive "from knowledge and behaviors learned through exposure
to family patterns and patterns transmitted in other contexts, "6 it is therefore

expected that perso- ne belonging to the same generations will experience similar
behaviors. It seems very interesting to note that the generations7 of those born in an analog
world, between 1926 and 1945 and between 1946 and 1965 are the ones that maintain
the highest percentage of viewers over time, beyond age and thus different stages of
the life cycle (Figure 2.3).
Less fond of this tool turn out to be those born between 1966 and 1985, they start
from high levels of fruition, during their childhood or youth, to decline rapidly due
probably to the rise of other forms of information and entertainment.
Turning to an analysis of the different generations' habit of listening to the radio, it
can be seen that it is especially the generation born between 1945 and 1965 that
achieves the highest levels of radio listening throughout the period examined. This is a
generation that witnessed the emergence of commercial radio stations that were very
much linked to the broadcasting of musical shows, and thus listened to them during the
period of youth when these cultural products are very popular.
Figure 2.3 - People aged 3 and older who watch television and listen to the radio by gender, age group, and year of
birth. Years 1995, 2000, 2006, 2010, 2015 and 2020 (percentage values)
N t p ma de 926 N t d 1926- 945 N t d 1946- 965
N t d 1966- 985 N t d 1986-2000 Ntd 200
20
00
80
60
40
20
0
20 24
25 29
30 34
35 39
40 44
45 49
50 54
55 59
60 64
65 69
70 74
75 79
80 84
85 89
20 24
25 29
30 34
35 39
40 44
45 49
50 54
55 59
60 64
65 69
70 74
75 79
80 84
85 89
39
39
59
59
04
04
They watch television A t d
Older generations, on the other hand, show a slow decline in ratings, for those
born between 1925 and 1945 over time radio has lost its physiognomy associated with
the postwar variety8 to become a radio station increasingly aimed at young people.
The largest users of this medium are represented by those between the ages of 35
and 54 in 2020 who have fully enjoyed and continue to enjoy the explosion of radio
offerings with the advent of private radio through a plurality of formats (news, music, etc.),
a continuous and uninterrupted flow also thanks to the advent of multiple technological
devices (radio set, digital television, computers, smartphones, etc.) in recent years.
6 Portes (1998).
7 The classification of generations refers to that adopted by ISTAT in the 2016 Annual Report. It is a reconstruction of
pseudo-cohorts from cross-sectional surveys. Classes of generations were constructed because of "similarity" in terms
of behavior: https://www.istat.it/it/files//2016/05/Ra2016.pdf.
8 Christmas (2017-2018).
2.3 Young people increasingly less fond of television, radio more followed by adults
In 2020, television remains a habit among the population aged 3 and older: 91.0
percent of people watch it, and among them about 80 percent do so on a daily basis. It
increases by about one percentage point, compared to 2019, the share of those who
watch it only a few times a day (Table 2.1).
Television users are most numerous among the very young and the over-54-year-olds,
and in particular, up to age 10 more than 94 percent of people watch it and also from age 55
onward. The portion of women who watch television is not significantly different from that
of men (91.7 percent of women and 90.2 percent of men).
More than 85 percent of children under 10 and people over 65 of both sexes who
watch television do so on a daily basis. Young people between the ages of 15 and 34
watch television less continuously during the week, peaking among viewers in the 20 to
24 age group (nearly 40 percent). Between the ages of 18 and 44 there is a higher
concentration of those who watch television only a few times a day. No territorial
differences in television viewing are observed.
Table 2.1 - People aged 3 and older who watch television by gender and age group. Year 2020
(percentage values)
THEY SEE THE TELEVISION OF WHICH EVERYDAY (a) OF WHICH ONLY SOME DAYS (a).
Males and Males and Males
Males Females Males Females Males Females
Females Females and
Females
3-5 94,9 93,5 94,2 88,7 86,6 87,7 11,3 13,4 12,3
6-10 94,6 93,5 94,1 90,7 90,9 90,8 9,3 9,1 9,2
11-14 89,1 90,5 89,8 78,1 75,9 77,1 21,9 24,1 22,9
15-17 83,5 87,3 85,4 67,8 62,3 65,0 32,2 37,7 35,0
18-19 80,3 84,5 82,3 67,7 66,2 67,0 32,3 33,8 33,0
20-24 78,4 86,4 82,2 59,9 62,6 61,2 40,1 37,4 38,8
25-34 83,7 88,7 86,2 64,0 72,0 68,1 36,0 28,0 31,9
35-44 87,0 89,2 88,1 74,7 72,9 73,8 25,3 27,1 26,2
45-54 91,5 91,2 91,4 78,9 79,4 79,1 21,1 20,6 20,9
55-59 93,2 94,4 93,8 81,7 84,5 83,1 18,3 15,5 16,9
60-64 93,9 94,6 94,3 86,4 89,6 88,1 13,6 10,4 11,9
65-74 96,1 94,9 95,4 91,4 92,4 92,0 8,6 7,6 8,0
75 and above 96,0 94,2 94,9 91,2 89,8 90,4 8,8 10,2 9,6
Total 90,2 91,7 91,0 79,8 81,2 80,5 20,2 18,8 19,5

(a) Per 100 viewers aged 3 years and older of the same gender and age group.
The use of radio is less widespread than that of television; in fact, it affects 56.4
percent of the population aged 3 and older. This value is 2.4 percentage points lower
than in 2019 (Table 2.2).
In contrast to television, radio programs are mag- nally watched by people in the
middle ages of 25-59, with a maximum in the 35-44 age group of 71.4 percent. Up to the
age of 34, higher percentages of female radio listeners are found, while from later ages
onward, the percentages of male listeners prevail. In total, 58.7 percent of men
compared to 54.2 percent of women listen to the radio.
46.2 percent of radio listeners do so daily, down 5.8 percentage points from 2019.
The decline, recorded over the past year, is likely related to the decrease in those who
listened to it on their home-to-work commutes given the decline in the latter caused by
the pandemic. This interpretation seems to be
confirmed by the latest available data that tell us that as many as 46.29 percent of the
radioa- scultants do so through car radios, which is the most used listening medium. The
percent of listeners residing in the Northeast is 58.8 percent and in the Northwest is 57,
7; in the regions of the Center and Islands it is 56.0 percent while in the South it drops
to 53.3.
Table 2.2 - People aged 3 and older who listen to radio by gender and age group. Year 2020 (percentage values)
LISTEN TO THE RADIO OF WHICH EVERY DAY (a) OF WHICH ONLY SOME DAYS (a).
Males and Males and Males
Males Females Males Females Males Females
Females Females and
Females
3-5 22,6 25,8 24,1 23,4 31,1 27,3 76,6 68,9 72,7
6-10 35,8 39,8 37,7 25,1 32,4 28,8 74,9 67,6 71,2
11-14 47,7 52,0 49,8 34,4 40,6 37,6 65,6 59,4 62,4
15-17 49,5 55,8 52,7 44,8 44,9 44,9 55,2 55,1 55,1
18-19 49,0 54,5 51,6 41,6 37,7 39,6 58,4 62,3 60,4
20-24 53,7 61,2 57,2 47,3 39,3 43,3 52,7 60,7 56,7
25-34 62,5 66,3 64,4 48,3 46,2 47,2 51,7 53,8 52,8
35-44 72,2 70,5 71,4 54,8 48,2 51,6 45,2 51,8 48,4
45-54 74,7 67,4 71,0 54,4 49,8 52,2 45,6 50,2 47,8
55-59 70,3 60,1 65,1 51,5 43,6 47,9 48,5 56,4 52,1
60-64 66,1 55,0 60,3 40,0 43,7 41,7 60,0 56,3 58,3
65-74 53,5 41,4 47,1 39,6 42,0 40,7 60,4 58,0 59,3
75 and above 34,1 28,7 30,9 40,9 45,9 43,7 59,1 54,1 56,3
Total 58,7 54,2 56,4 47,3 45,1 46,2 52,7 54,9 53,8

(a) Per 100 viewers aged 3 years and older of the same gender and age group.
2.4 Time spent on television and radio

The time trend from 2000 onward highlights a decrease in the median time spent
watching television on the days that people watch it. In 2000, the median value was on
the total population aged 3 years and older at 180 minutes and reaches 120 minutes in
2019 (Fi- gure 2.4). A general upward trend is seen, however, in 2020 with the exception of
the youngest (particularly males aged 6-10 years). This evidence is consistent with
auditel data that for 2020 recorded peaks in consumption especially on certain days in
April corresponding with the lockdown of phase 1 of the pandemic10.
More women than men watch television for a longer time. This difference remains
constant over time and is about 30 minutes, but at some years (in 2012 and between
2016 and 2019) it reaches 60 minutes. Between 2019 and 2020,
Figure 2.4 - People aged 3 and older who watch television by gender and time spent. Years 2000-2020 (median
value of minutes)
Median number of minutes of te vision Male
Median number of minutes of tea viewing Females Nu edian of nut of television Total
200 200
80 80
60 60
40 40
20 20
00 00
80 80
60 60
40 40
20 20
0 0
2000
2002
2003
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2020
2000
2002
2003
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2020
20 0
20 2
20 3
20 4
20 5
20 6
20 7
20 8
20 9
20 0
20 2
20 3
20 7
20 8
20 9
20 4
20 5
20 6
200
200
20
20
9 Istat survey "Citizens and Leisure," Year 2015: https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/5538.

10 https://www.primaonline.it/app/uploads/2021/03/Ascolti-TV-Covid-19_Anno-2020_comp_compressed_compressed.pdf.
for both sexes there is an increase in the median time spent on television, for men from
120 minutes to 150 minutes and for women from 150 to 180 minutes.
Over the past 20 years, the decrease in time devoted is mainly reported among
younger people, while in middle ages and among older people, greater stability is
observed. Boys up to age 19 devote a higher median time to television than girls during
the observation period, but for both genders there is a decrease in time devoted since
2010. From age 20 and up, women outperform men in terms of median time spent
watching television programs. From age 25 and on, men show substantial stability with
respect to time spent on television (about 60 median minutes), while women reach it
from age 55 and on, going from 120 median minutes in 2001 to 60 minutes for 55-59-
year-olds and to 120 median minutes for those over 59 in 2020.
Uneven trends are observed among occasional and regular television viewers.
Decrease in time spent is observed among those who occasionally watch television, while
complete stability is observed among those who watch it daily, who watch it for a
median time of 180 minutes (Figure 2.5).
Figure 2.5 - People aged 3 and older who watch television by time spent. Years 2000-2020 (median value of minutes)
Ut t t Ut t g r
200
80
60
40
20
00
80
60
40
20
0
2000 200 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20 0 20 20 2 20 3 20 4 20 5 20 6 20 7 20 8 20 9 2020
The time spent listening to radio is smaller than that spent watching television.
Between 2000 and 2005, the median time is 90 minutes, while from 2006-2007 there is
a decrease first by 20 and then by 30 minutes and that has led the time spent on radio
to stabilize at 60 minutes from 2008 and for all subsequent years (Figure 2.6). The
median listening time for men is 60 minutes and remains constant between 2000 and
2020, while for women it starts from higher levels in the early years of the period under
study, with a maximum listening time of 110 minutes recorded in 2001, then settling
around 90 minutes between 2002 and 2010 and finally decreasing to 60 minutes from
2011 onward.
Figure 2.6 - People aged 3 and older who listen to radio by time spent. Years 2000-2020 (median value of minutes)
Nu d an of m ti of rad o Male
Nu d an of m ti of rad or Female Nu d ano di m ti di rad
120 120
100 100
80 80
60 60
40 40
20 20
0 0
Analysis by age shows that among young people up to 34 years of age, some variabi-
lity in median listening time is observed, and this affects both males and females; for
both collectives in this age group, there is a decrease in the time trend, going from two
hours to one hour median time between 2000 and 2020. From age 35 onward, men
remain constant on a median listening time of 60 minutes throughout the period from
2000 to 2020, while, female listeners in the time trend fluctuate between 60 and 120
median minutes of listening time, with listening times always higher than those of men.
When considering daily and occasional radio listeners, a marked difference in median
listening time is observed: for daily listeners, the value is 120 mi-
nutes for the entire period while for occasional workers it is always equal to half.
2.5 New tools for television and radio enjoyment: the web and its effects
In recent years, the identification of the television and radio experience with
television and radio apps has become increasingly improper. There is increasing talk of
"television outside television "11 and, likewise, one can argue for the existence of radio
programs outside the radio medium. This cleavage between medium and programming
adds to the characteristics already inherent in these media that allow the enjoyment of
events without the need to be in the place and at the time when the events themselves take
place12, the same time no longer requires the same place13.
The spread of the Internet and ever-new digital equipment has revolutionized fruition,
helping to totally decouple radio and television programming from the medium used.
This revolution accomplished by new ICT technologies has increasingly variegated the
landscape of supply and the places and spaces of radio and television fruition. Data
referring to 201514 collected through the ISTAT survey "Citizens and Leisure Time" show,
for example, that 8 percent of the population claimed to watch TV programs outside the
home, for example during the school/work-home commute.
11 Auditel, Censis (ed.) (2021).

12 Meyrowitz (1985).
13 Thompson, (1995).
2. Television and radio between tradition and 35
innovation
Figure 2.7 - People aged 6 years and older who have watched live or streaming television in the past 3 months
Deferred by age group. Years 2018-2020 (percentage values)
20 8 20 9 2020
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
601 4 15 7 18 9 20 24 25 34 35 44 45 54 55 59 60 64 65 74 75 e T ta
more
Analyzing the trend over the past three years of people aged 6 and older who have
watched streaming television shows a general growth in viewership (from 18.2 percent in
2018 to 23.5 percent in 2020) (Figure 2.7). This was the case across all age groups, although
the highest levels of viewing remained highest among the predominantly younger audience
(nearly 5 in 10 people between the ages of 18 and 24). One very interesting aspect is the
larger increase that occurred between 2019 and 2020 among more adult viewers. There is an
increase of almost 5 percentage points between the ages of 35 and 44, and there is
always an increase of more than 4 percentage points up to the age of 64 before returning
to very low levels among older people.
If we focus on those who watched video on demand from commercial platforms, the
last three years have been marked by a sharp increase in the use of these entertainment
tools, which almost doubled in the period under consideration (from 15.3 percent in
2018 to 28.6 percent in 2020) (Figure 2.8). Usage has remained high especially among
younger audiences, although a marked increase has been observed in all age groups over
the three-year period, with the exception of those over seventy-four years old among
whom the share remains constant over time.
Watching streaming television and video on demand from commercial services are
more prevalent habits among men than women (in 2020, 25.8 percent vs. 21.4 percent
and 31 percent vs. 26.4 percent, respectively), although over time the gender
differential is narrowing for both behaviors analyzed.
Figure 2.8 - People aged 6 and older who have watched video on demand from commercial services (Infinity, Sky
online, Netflix) in the past three months by age group. Years 2018-2020 (percentage values)
20 820 9 2020
70
60
50
40
28,6
30
20 15,3
10
0
60 1 415 718 920 2425 3435 4445 5455 5960 6465 74 75 piT
such.
The spatial analysis shows a fairly pronounced North-North gradient, and one that
seems to persist over time, both in terms of TV streaming and video-on-demand viewing
from commercial services (Figures 2.9 and 2.10). It makes an exception for Sardinia,
which for this, as for other leisure enjoyment behaviors, presents a profile similar to the
North-Central regions.
Figure 2.9 - People aged 6 years and older who have watched live or streaming television in the past 3 months
deferred by region. Years 2019 and 2020 (percentage values)
20 9 2020
It should be noted, however, that in the past year, characterized by the pandemic
emergency, a general increase in streaming and video-on-demand television viewing
behavior has been observed in all regions. In particular, it has increased in
innovation
Figure 2.10 - People aged 6 and older who have watched video on demand from commercial services (Infinity, Sky
online, Netflix) in the past three months by region. Years 2019 and 2020 (percentage values)
20 9 2020
consistently the enjoyment of Internet video (+8.7 percentage points on the national
average), with particularly large increases even in some southern and island regions such
as Puglia (+9.8 percentage points), Sardinia (+9.2 percentage points) and Sicily (+8.6
percentage points).
Wanting to analyze the changes over the past three years in the weight exerted by
certain sociodemographic and spatial factors toward the enjoyment of streaming TV
programs or video on commercial platforms, logistic models were carried out and average
marginal effects calculated15.
Analysis of the results shows that, net of the weight exerted by the other
sociodemographic variables considered, the gender differential decreases over the past
three years, and the positive effects of women's Internet enjoyment of streaming
television and video on demand, while remaining lower than those of men, increase
(Figure 2.11). The positive effect of Internet enjoyment of younger age groups
compared to people aged 75 and older also increases. Also greater in 2020 is the positive
effect of television use and video enjoyment on the Internet of older people aged 65-74,
which, unlike the first two years considered, is significantly higher than that of people
aged 74 and over.
15 The following independent variables were considered in the models: gender, age, geographic breakdown, type of
municipality of residence, highest educational qualification attained, and rating of household economic resources.
From a spatial point of view, the positive effect of web-based fruition among those
living in the macro areas of the North-Central compared to the South remains strong.
Similar trend for those living in the Central and suburban municipalities of the
metropolitan area and in large municipalities with more than 50 thousand inhabitants,
which, compared to those living in small municipalities with up to 10 thousand
inhabitants, have a higher positive effect of web-based enjoyment of television and video
on demand in the three-year period.
Figure 2.11 - People aged 25 and older who have watched live or time-shifted streaming television or watched video on demand from
commercial services (Infinity, Sky online, Netflix) in the past three months. Years 2018, 2019 and 2020 (logistic regression
models, average marginal effects comparison)
20 8 20 9 2020
0 0 05 0 05 02 0 25 03 0 35 04 0 45 05
GENRE
Uom Do
CLASS D ETA
25 34 75
35 44 75
45 54 75
55 64 75
()
65 74 75 ()
R PART Z ONE
GEOGRAPHICAL
No d M g
Ce t M g
T TOLO D STUDY
O
Dp upe F L d
Lap ù F L an
d
R SORSE ECONOM
THAT
OttAd gu t S ff t
T POLOG A MUNICIPAL
C t t op t F10 000 b t t
Pf t op t F0 000 b t t
From 10 00 50 000 b t t F0 000 b t t ()

()
50 00 b t t p ù F10 000 b t t

(a) Statistically insignificant coefficient.
Finally, with regard to socioeconomic status, the weight exerted by socio-educational and
economic credentials is accentuated. Those with medium-high educational qualifications or report ot-
time or adequate family economic resources always has a greater positive effect of enjoying
television and video on the network than those who have at most a middle school diploma
or report poor or insufficient family economic resources; moreover, this effect increases
over time.
Regarding radio enjoyment, it has already emerged how much radio is generally
listened to by the adult population especially in the middle ages. When considering,
however, the fruition of that on the web, a greater number of listeners is observed
among the younger population, with peaks of almost 30 percent among 15- and 17-
year-olds (Figure 2.12). As with the enjoyment of streaming television and video on
demand on commercial service platforms, a higher share of men than women is
observed for web radio listening (16.1 percent versus 13.1 percent), but the gender
gap is less pronounced.
Analyzing the enjoyment of radio shows on the web over the territory does not
regi- strate strong differences and the profiles of the different macro areas of the
country are fairly overlapping (North=15.3 percent, Center=14.5 percent and South=13.9
percent).
Figure 2.12 - People 6 years and older who listened to radio on the web in the past 3 months by age group. Year
2017 (percentage values)
As t Rad b Tota
35
30
25
20
14 6
15
10
0
6- 011- 4 15- 7 18- 9 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-59 60-64 65-74 75
p
2.6 Television and radio during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has characterized the everyday life of citizens since early
2020. The total or partial stay-at-home obligation and the closure of businesses, gyms,
and cultural venues has had a major impact on people's day and the way they spend
their time. Among the effects it has produced has certainly been an increase in loisir
activities and cultural participation carried out within the home. Data from the Istat
Survey "The Diary of Italians at the Time of COVID-19 - I and II wave "16 allow us to
understand the reaction and changes that have occurred in the population with respect to
their usual habits in watching television and listening to the radio.
16 Istat "The Diary of Italians at the Time of COVID-19" - I and II wave: https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/264633.
Going to analyze the television viewing on an average day in Phase 1 of the

pandemic by COVID-19, it is observed that 92 percent of the population aged 18 years
and older reported that they spent their time watching television. This share remains
fairly stable even in the second phase of the pandemic with a 93.7 percent share of
television viewers recorded in December 2020/January 2021.
Explicative is the ranking of programs chosen by people, which reveals the as- solute
predominance of news programs in both waves, but with different intensity (89.1 percent in
phase 1 and 77.2 percent in phase 2, respectively) (Figure 2.13). This interest is
significantly higher than that recorded in 2015 through the Istat Survey "Citizens and
Leisure "17 in which it emerged that TV news was watched by 70 percent of people aged
18 and older. Constant over the pandemic period, compared to 2015, on the other
hand, was the role of television as an entertainment tool for watching movies (65.7
percent in 2015 versus nearly 60 percent in the two pandemic phases).
Figure 2.13 - People aged 18 and older who on an average weekly day of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the COVID-19 health
emergency watched television by type of program chosen. April 2020 and December 2020/January
April 2020 Db 2020 G na 202
0 0 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 00
TV N t z r /t g 89
72
d pe N tizia /te gi s 87
ague u 52 8
d N tizia /te gi 8
p gg 66
t t
T k-s 17
15
F 58 5
76
T o d tt a t y 32 7
30 2
S 26
22
Mt 16
20
Rea ty show 99
2
Sporting events 43
14

Source: Istat, Survey The Diary of Italians at the Time of COVID-19
Information and movies are types of programs chosen on an average pandemic day across all
age groups. For some types of programs, however, age plays a discriminating role: among the
youngest, 18-34 year olds TV series viewing stands out (37 percent, particularly among 18-24
year olds it reaches 41.3 percent), while from 55 years old onwards current affairs programs,
more than 35 percent watched them with a peak of 51.5 among the over 74 year olds.
In April 2020, at the height of the lockdown, almost half of people (45.9 percent)
reported watching television for a longer time than in the pre-pandemic period, while in
the second phase of the pandemic nine out of ten people said they spent the same
amount of time on it and only about 4 percent said they watched it for longer (Figure
2.14). Such evidence is certainly related to the fact that by December 2020/January 2021
we were already at a different time in the health emergency when people had almost
returned to their pre-pandemic study/work rhythms and activities.

Analysis by age of the time devoted to television compared to the pre-pandemic

period shows that people aged 65 and older continue to be the largest users of this
medium, however, the forced isolation at home in the first phase of the pandemic and the
resulting need for information also resulted in high percentages of those who watched
television to a greater extent than in the previous period (47.5 percent between the
ages of 18 and 34 and 45.2 percent between the ages of 35 and 54) among the youth
and in the middle age groups. Comparing again by age the habits in the section of the
pandemic period, there is for these two age groups a sharp decrease in those who report
an increase in time spent watching television compared to the pre-COVID period (standing
at 6.1 and 5.3 percent, respectively).
Figure 2.14 - People aged 18 years and older who on an average weekly day of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of COVID-19 health
emergency watched television by time spent on this activity compared to a pre-Covid day. April 2020
and December 2020/January 2021 (percentage values)
More Ste temp Less time Not

temp
April 2020 04
45,9 49,8 3,9
December 2020
1,7
- 4,3 88,7 5,3
January 202
0 20 40 60 80 100
In April 2020 and December 2020/January 2021, only about 22 percent of the po-
pation aged 18 and older reported listening to radio on an average day of the week.
Radio listening seems to have been affected by habit changes in home-school/work com-
muting, which, especially during lockdown periods, have become rarer. The radio, in fact,
is a medium often listened to during commutes to normal study or work activities, and
staying at home, especially during certain periods, has certainly changed this habit.
In both April 2020 and December 2020/January 2021, radio users are confirmed to
be predominantly young adults aged 18-54. In the age groups up to 54 years old, both the
highest rates of listeners and those who have listened to radio for a longer time than
pre-pandemic habits are also found.
Figure 2.15 - People aged 18 and older who listened to the radio on an average weekly day in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of
the COVID-19 health emergency by type of program chosen. April 2020 and December 2020/ January
Open 2020 Dec b 2020 Jan o 202
0 0 20 30 40 50 60
Notiziar / radiogio nal 50 5

40 8
d u Not a /radio 44
to ggiorn coronavirus 87
d cu News/radio nal to 45
ggiorn other 33
news
Tssion d ttual tity 36
30
Met 15 6
9,
Sports Avv niment 3,

7,
Altr radiofonic programs 53 5

56
The information function also emerges for radio: they listen to radio news programs
both about Coronavirus news and more generally about other types of information by
50.5 percent of people aged 18 and older in the first period and 40.8 percent in the
second period (Figure 2.15). In addition, nearly 4 in 10 people in April 2020 and 3 in 10
in December 2020/January 2021 say they follow current affairs broadcasts.
Radio listening to follow other types of programs most likely focused on musical
entertainment also emerges (53.5 percent in April 2020 and 56.7 percent in December
2020/January 2021).
Similar to what has been observed for television, when analyzing the time spent
listening to radio on an average pandemic day, it is interesting to note that, men-
Figure 2.16 - People 18 years of age and older who listened to the radio on an average weekly day in Phase 1 and
Phase 2 of COVID-19 health emergency listened to the radio by time spent on this activity compared to a
pre-Covid day. April 2020 and December 2020/January 2021 (percentage values)
More time Same time Less time Not
April 2020 30,0 60,7 8,3 ,
December 2020
14,5 81,8 2.9 ,8
-
January 202
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

innovation
three in the first health emergency period about 30 percent of people aged 18 years
and older claimed to have listened to the radio for a longer time than in the pre-COVID
period, this percentage drops significantly in the second phase of the pandemic and
stands at only 14.5 percent (Figure 2.16).
2.7 Final considerations

Television and radio represent the mass-media to which individuals in our country are
most attached and to which they devote part of their free time, in very high percentages
for television and quite substantial for radio. However, the advent of digital and ICT already
for several years has contributed to broadening that process of secularization of
culture, which exploded with the advent of commercial televisions, and which has
helped to de- structure the most customary conceptual, value and ideological schemes
and to socially legitimize cultural forms and expressions previously not considered as
"high" culture, including comics, pop and pop music, genre cinema, video games, and
so on18.
Television and radio have been affected by these transformations, and especially for the
younger generation there is less and less fondness for their more traditional forms of
broadcasting offerings. Parallel to traditional television, in fact, the forms of streaming
television (watched live or deferred) and video-on-demand viewing on an increasing
number of commercial platforms (Netflix, amazon, disney plus, and so on) have emerged
spe- cialy in recent years. For radio, the emergence of webradios and the possibility of
downloading radio podcasts for deferred enjoyment have varied the offerings by mo-
dificating the relationship with this medium and broadening the audience to younger
generations.
The year 2020 was a watershed year because the spread of the pandemic
revolutionized people's habits and gave a major boost to the spread of digital for all
forms of cultural enjoyment and leisure more generally. This process of change also
affected radio and television, which adapted their offerings, both in terms of content
and mode of communication, to what was happening. We shall see and hear as we go
along how much further change will take place.
18 Arosio, Caramis (2019).

Arosio, F.M., A. Caramis. 2019. "The role of statistics in understanding the country's cultural
transformations." DigitCult - Scientific Journal on Digital Cultures, Volume 4, No. 3: 47-62.
Auditel, and Censis (eds.). 2021. Fourth Auditel-Censis report. Multiscreen Italy: from smart TV to
the screen in your pocket, so the country races toward digital. Rome, Italy: Censis.
Blumler, J. G. (Ed.). 1992. Television and the Public Interest. Vulnerable Values in West European
Broadcasting. Thousand Oaks, CA, U.S.: Sage Publishing.
Castells, M. 1996. The Rise of Network Society. Hoboken, NJ, U.S.: Wiley-Blackwell, The Information
Age: Economy, Society, and Culture Volume I.
National Institute of Statistics - Istat. 2021. Italian Statistical Yearbook 2021. Rome, Italy: Istat.
https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/264305.
Mancini, P. 2012. "The evolution of communication: old and new media." In Treccani (ed.).
Geopolitical Atlas 2012. Rome, Italy: Treccani.
Meyrowitz, J. 1985. No Sense of Place: The Impact of Electronic Media on Social Behavior. Oxford,
U.K. (New York, NY, U.S.): Oxford University Press.
Christmas, A.L. A.A. 2017-2018. "Content and markets of rhadophony." Slides from the Radio and
Television Journalism course. Rome, Italy: Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of
Communication Sciences.
Portes, A. 1998. "Social Capital: Its Origins and Applications in Modern Sociology." Annual Review
of Sociology, Volume 24: 1-24.
Thompson, J. B. 1995. The Media and Modernity. A Social Theory of the Media. Redwood City,
CA, U.S.: Stanford University Press.
Study and Research Office Confidustria Radio Televisioni - CRTV, in collaboration with Auditel
(ed.). 2021. COVID-19 impact on TV ratings in Italy. Year 2020. Rome, Italy: Confidustria
Radio Televisioni.
45
3. READING BOOKS AND

NEWSPAPERS1
3.1 Introduction
The reality in which we live is characterized by a ubiquity of media that is
unprecedented in history. Media of various kinds are everywhere and make any
content available to anyone: information, knowledge, images, sounds. As Raffaele
Simone writes, "There has been no phase in the history of the world in which the
mediasphere has been so enveloping, and there is almost no place on the planet that is
today completely protected by the media. "2 All this has brought about a real revolution
in the way we communicate and inform ourselves, also profoundly changing the
population's relationship with reading books and newspapers.
New technologies, in fact, have fostered the spread of new modes of reading,
writing, and communication (characterized by brevity, speed, and discontinuity)3 typical of
the digital e- cosystem and of new reading objects (email, text messages, tweets, posts,
WhatsApp messages) that have become potential competitors to the more complex and arti-
culate forms of textuality typical of books and newspapers4. At the same time, the ways in which
people today can inform themselves are multiple (social networks, blogs, newsgroups,
discussion forums), and newspapers have lost their primacy as a medium of information.
Thus over the past decade, in parallel with the spread of new technologies, a process of
growing disaffection with reading books and newspapers has begun in the population, little
or not at all offset by the spread of new reading opportunities offered by ebooks 5 and
online newspapers6.
Then in 2020 came the pandemic, which had a major impact on the everyday life of all of
us, affecting all areas of our lives: work, school, leisure, social and friendship relationships.7
Limited in their ability to enjoy sports, cultural and relational activities outside the home,
many people have found themselves with more leisure time to enjoy inside the home.
Among the various activities that people engaged in during this "newfound time,"
reading also played an important role. In particular, during the lockdown, reading books,
newspapers, and magazines accompanied the days of more than six out of ten people,
while during the second epidemic wave, between December 2020 and January 2021,
behaviors returned closer to pre-pandemic ones.
1 The chapter was edited and edited by Miria Savioli.
2 Simone (2012).
3 Mikics (2015), Solimine (2020).
4 "With the spread of the latest generation of digital devices (smartphones, tablets), a situation seems to be
emerging of competition among different types of content in gaining shares of users' time and attention; a
competition that is likely to disadvantage complex and articulated forms of textuality (books, electronic
magazines and newspapers, in-depth sites) in favor of granular multimedia content (videos, music, games, social
networks)." Roncaglia (2014).
5 Center for Books and Reading (2021).
6 "Carlo Lombardi" technical observatory for newspapers and news agencies (2019).
7 Istat (2020b), Istat (2020c), Istat (2020d).
Summing up 2020, in the end, despite the social and health emergency, the year
ended with a tentative positive sign. The share of book readers increased slightly to
41.4 percent (+1.4 p.p. compared to 2019), while the negative trend in newspaper reading
was interrupted and the readership share stabilized at 51.6 percent.
3.2 Book reading over the past twenty years

In Italy, the population's interest in leisure reading, that is, pleasure reading freed
from obligations and constraints, has always been very low. Despite the gradual rise in
the educational level of the population, the share of leisure readers still remains much
lower than the share of the popo- lation that possesses the skills to read.
While the share of college graduates has almost doubled over the past 20 years
(from 7.5 percent in 2001 to 14.3 percent in 2019) and the share of high school graduates
has increased by almost 10 percen- tual points (from 25.9 percent to 35.6 percent)8, the
share of leisure readers has grown by only 2.8 percentage points: it was 38.6 percent of
the population aged 6 and older in 2000 and stands at 41.4 percent in 2020 (for a total
in 2020 of about 23 million 600 thousand readers)9 (Figure 3.1).
Figure 3.1 - Readers of books aged 6 and older. Years 2000-2020 (a) (percentage values)
50
48 46,8
46,1
45,1 45,3
46
44,1 44,0
43,1 43,1
44 42,3
41,4 41,3 41,5 42,0 41,4
40,9 41,0
42 40,5 40,6
40,0
40 38,6
38
36
34
32
30
2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

(a) Have read at least one book for non-strictly educational or professional reasons in the 12 months preceding the interview.
The significance of these two very close figures, however, is very different not only
because of the profound technological, social, and cultural transformations that have
characterized the society in which we live in the last twenty years, but also because, if we
analyze the annual historical series of leisure book readers, we notice that there was a
period when the population's interest in reading had been growing.
In fact, the leisure readership share of books showed, although with some negative
fluctuations, a tendentially positive trend until 2010 when it touched the
8 Source: Istat (2012), Istat (2020e).
9 The analysis on leisure readers was carried out using the Istat "Aspects of Daily Life" survey,
https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/91926, as a source.
46.8 percent peak. For the first time since Istat has been collecting data on book readers
(the first survey was in 1957), the number of readers approached 26.5 million.
However, from 2011 onward, and more markedly from 2013 onward, we observe a
reversal of the trend with a consistent decline in readership. In a very few years, from
2010 to 2016, we lost 3 million 300 thousand readers, thus returning to 2001 levels
and undoing the gains painstakingly achieved over 15 years.
The decline in reading mostly affected the youngest readers, among whom the largest
losses were regi- strated. In fact, while on average between 2006 and 2016 the overall
readership declined by 6.3 percentage points, the losses were 14.3 percentage points
among 11-14 year olds and 12 percentage points among 15-17 year olds. Substantial
losses were also recorded among the 18-59 year-old population, although less marked
than and those recorded among teenagers, while the population aged 60 and older
was unaffected by the disaffection toward reading books (Figure 3.2).
Figure 3.2 - Readers of books aged 6 and older by gender and age group. Years 2000, 2010, 2016 and 2020 (a) (percentage values)
2000 20 0 20 6 2020
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
11-14
15-17
18-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
11-14
15-17
18-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
11-14
15-17
18-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
6-10
6-10
6-10
75 p
75 p
75 p
M F M f

(a) Have read at least one book for non-strictly educational or professional reasons in the 12 months prior to the interview.
Thereafter, until 2019, the readership share remained virtually unchanged: in fact, it
stabilized at around 40 percent, showing only minor fluctuations that were not
statistically significant. Examining the overall stability of the four-year period 2016-
2019, however, we catch some signs of change: since 2016, the share of readers declines
slightly among the population over 60 years of age that had not been affected by the crisis
of previous years, but shows a recovery among children and youth aged 11-24, and
particularly among 18-19 year olds, who register a growth of 7.7 percentage points
(from 48.2 percent to 55.9 percent)10.
10 For young people under the age of 18, the "culture bonus," provided by the state starting in 2016 through the so-
called 18app, which can also be used to purchase books, may have played a positive role. Solimine (2020). The
culture bonus is a €500 disbursement intended for young Italians and foreigners residing in Italy who have
turned 18. Promoted by the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and
Tourism, it is
Then in 2020, the year of the onset of the pandemic, the overall readership share
registered a slight increase, bucking the trend of leisure activities performed outside
the home that were heavily penalized by closures and restrictions. For the first time after
the sharp decline in 2010-2016 and the substantial stability in the following period, the
readership share reached 41.4 percent (+1.4 p.p. compared to 2019)11. However, the
slight growth recorded in the last year was not enough to recover the losses recorded in
previous years: thus in 2020 the leisure readership share still remains far from the peak
recorded in 2010.
Figure 3.3 - Readers of books aged 6 and older by gender, age group, geographic breakdown and readers of books aged 25 and older by
educational qualification.
Years 2000-2020
For 100 (a) (percentage
people values)
6 years of age For 100 people 6 years of age
and older and older
M F 60 4 57 8 24 25 59 60 74 75 p
00 00
90 90
80 80
70 70
60 53 60
46 4
50 43 50
40 40
30 33 2 40 36 30
20 20
0 0
For 100 people 25 years of age For 100 people 6 years of age
and older and older
F d Dp p L p Nd Ct M g
00 00
90 79 8 90
77 6
80 80
70 70
58 7
60 55 4 60
54 0
48 0 48 4
46 2
50 50
40 40 50 6
26 6 44 3
40 7
30 20 30
19 3 35
30 2
20 20 28
0 0

was introduced in 2016 and renewed in subsequent years. To date, the beneficiaries of the bonus have been young
people born in 1998-2002. The culture bonus can be spent to purchase cultural products: tickets or subscriptions to
cinema, concerts, cultural events (festivals, cultural fairs and circuses), museums, monuments, parks and
archaeological areas, theater and dance performances; music (CDs, music DVDs, vinyl records, online music); music,
theater, foreign language courses; books (paper, audiobooks, ebooks); subscriptions to newspapers and
periodicals, including in digital format. The beneficiaries of the bonus were: 356,274 born in 1998, 416,779 born
in 1999, 429,739 born in 2000, 389,678 born in 2001, 415,114 born in 2002 (data being updated). Approximately
70 percent of those eligible in the five-year period 2016-2021 benefited from the bonus,
https://www.18app.italia.it/#!/ (last update 17/02/2022).
11 Among the various factors that may have influenced this growth are the various initiatives implemented by publishers
during the lockdown to promote and support reading. During the first lockdown of March-May 2020, 43.6 percent of
publishers activated networks with independent bookstores to sell and deliver books to their homes, 42.8 percent
organized events to promote and interact with readers through social channels or their websites, and 26.9 percent
organized online presentations, readings, and reading recommendations from authors. Source, Istat (2021).
The social changes that have taken place over the past two decades have not changed
the characteristics and deep differences (gender, generation, territorial, and by educational
qualification) that have always characterized book readers. In 2020, the share of female readers
still continues to be 10 percentage points higher than that of male readers (46.4 percent
compared to 36.1 percent); the share of readers is 18 percentage points higher in northern
regions than in southern regions (48.4 percent compared to 30.2 percent) and 14 points
higher in central municipalities of metropolitan areas than in small municipalities (49.9
percent compared to 35.6 percent in municipalities with up to 2 thousand inhabitants);
moreover, among college graduates the share of readers is 53.4 percentage points higher
than that found among those with at most a secondary school diploma (72.7 percent
compared to 19.3 percent) (Figures 3.3 e 3.4).
The only differences that tend to diminish over time are generational differences due
to two factors: the decrease in readership among younger people and the increase
among older people due to the aging of increasingly educated generations.
Despite this, in 2020 there are still nearly 35 percentage points of distance in the
share of readers between 11-14 year olds and seniors aged 75 and older (it was 42.5 in
2010). Young people, despite sharp declines between 2010 and 2016, continue to be the
population group in which the share of readers is highest: in 2020, 58.6 percent among
11-14 year olds and about 54 percent in the 15-24 age group compared with 23.7
percent among the population aged 75 and older (Figure 3.3).
Figure 3.4 - Readers of books aged 6 and older by region. Year 2020 (a) (percentage values)
T t n -A t Ad g 53 6
Friu -VeG ulia Lo
bardia
V le d A t
Vt
E R ag
L guria
P t
The o
T
Umbria
ta 44
S rdeg
M he
Ab
Mol
P glia
S
B t
C pa to
Calabria 23 9
0 0 20 30 40 50 60

3.3 Readers' preferences: between paper books, ebooks and audiobooks

In recent years there has been significant growth in the supply of ebooks. Between
2013 and 2019, the number of copies of printed book works also published in ebook
format almost tripled from 14 thousand 916 to over 39 thousand 200, and if in 2013
just under a quarter of printed works were also published in ebook version in 2019 this is
almost half (45.3 percent)12.
12 The data refer not to the entire digital publishing output, but only to the digitally produced works of the
Despite the increase in supply, there has not been an equal increase in ebook reading. In
2019, 8.7 percent of the population aged 6 and older (21.7 percent of readers) had
reported reading ebooks and/or books online, a total of nearly 5 million readers. This is
just slightly higher than in 2015, when the share stood at 7.1 percent.
Data referring to 2020, however, show that in the first year of the pandemic, the
share of ebook readers grew by 1.4 percentage points, thus surpassing 10 percent for a
total of nearly 5 million 800,000 readers (or 24.5 percent of readers). This is the
strongest annual increase recorded since 2015 (Figure 3.5)13.
Figure 3.5 - Readers of ebooks aged 6 and older. Years 2015-2020 (a) (percentage values)
12
10,1
10
8,7
8,4
8 7,3 7,5
7,1
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

In 2020, there are 21 million 221 thousand paper book readers (37.2 percent of the
population aged 6 and older, accounting for 89.9 percent of readers) and about one
million audiobook users (1.8 percent of the population aged 6 and older and 4.2
percent of readers). The share of print book readers remains stable compared to 2019,
while audio book listening, while still residual in readers' choices, has more than doubled
compared to 2018 when the share stood at 0.8 percent (Table 3.1).
Analyzing readers' preferences with respect to the exclusive or combined use of di-
verse devices for reading, it is observed that in 2020 the majority of readers continue to
choose the paper book, read by nine out of ten readers, with as many as seven out of
ten readers stating that they read only paper books.
In contrast, the choice to read books in digital format remains the preserve of a
still limited share of readers: in 2020, only a quarter of readers claim to have read ebooks
and less than one in ten claim to have read only ebooks. The share of those who have
corresponding printed works. The digital version is most popular for adventure and mystery books (81.0
percent), those on political-social and economic current affairs (69.0 percent), mathematics (66.2), and
philology and linguistics (62.6 percent). Source, Istat (2021).
13 Between 2019 and 2020, ebook readers increase mostly among 11-14 year olds (+6 per-cent points) and 20-24 year
olds (+4.6 p.p.) and, in particular, by girls in these age groups (+7 p.p. among 11-14 year olds and +7.9 p.p. among
20-24 year olds).
used different types of media, on the other hand, stands at 16.6 percent, reflecting the
persistence of well-established habits among readers, who still polarize predominantly on
the exclusive use of paper (Table 3.1).
Comparison between 2019 and 2020, however, shows that in the first year of the
pandemic, something changed: not only ebook readers increased, but also readers who
read only ebooks (from 7.9 percent to 9.4 percent) and those who combined different
media (from 14.7 percent to 16.6 percent) in the face of a decrease in readers who say
they read only print books (from 77.2 percent to 73.6 percent) (Table 3.1).
Table 3.1 - Readers of books aged 6 and older by type of device used for reading. Years 2015-2020 (a) (percentages and values in thousands)
READERS 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
For 100 people

They read books 42,0 40,5 41,0 40,6 40,0 41,4
They read paper books - - - 37,3 36,7 37,2
Have read ebooks/books online 7,1 7,3 7,5 8,4 8,7 10,1
They listened to audio books - - - 0,8 1,1 1,8
They read only paper books - - - 31,8 30,9 30,5
They read only ebooks/online books - - - 3,2 3,2 3,9
Have read print books along with ebooks/online books and/or listened to
audiobooks - - - 5,5 5,9 6,9
Or online ebooks/books and listening to audiobooks.
For 100
readers
They read paper books - - - 91,9 91,7 89,9
Have read ebooks/books online 14,9 15,9 16,4 20,6 21,7 24,5
They listened to audio books - - - 2,1 2,7 4,2
They read only paper books - - - 78,4 77,2 73,6
They read only ebooks/online books - - - 7,9 7,9 9,4
audiobooks - - - 13,7 14,7 16,6
Data in
thousands
They read books 24.051 23.180 23.452 23.231 22.898 23.593
They read paper books - - - 21.339 20.999 21.221
Have read ebooks/books online 3.578 3.693 3.854 4.794 4.964 5.776
They listened to audio books - - - 486 609 999
They read only paper books - - - 18.208 17.675 17.375
They read only ebooks/online books - - - 1.834 1.812 2.214
audiobooks - - - 3.170 3.375 3.925
(a) Have read at least one book for non-strictly educational or professional reasons in the twelve months preceding the interview.
These are changes that may also have been fostered by initiatives put in place by
publishers during the lockdown to encourage the use of ebooks and audiobooks. In fact,
publishers, in order to stay close to their users and encourage the reading of books in any
medium, have implemented various initiatives including the free distribution of ebooks (52.9
percent of large publishers and 26.3 percent of medium publishers) and the possibility of free
downloading or listening to audio books (29.2 percent of large publishers). In addition,
nearly one in three operators (29.2 percent) have expanded their offerings of titles in digital
format (68.6 percent of large publishers)14.
Among ebook readers, gender differences are quite small: female readers account
for 10.6 percent compared to 9.6 percent of readers. However, gender differences widen in
the 11-34 age group. In particular, among 15-24 year old girls the share of female ebook
readers exceeds 23 percent, while among boys of the same age it does not reach 16
percent.
14 Source: Istat (2021).
Greater, however, are the generational differences since ebook reading presupposes
digital skills that not all older people possess: the share of ebook readers stands at 19
percent among 15- to 24-year-olds while it falls below 4 percent among the population
aged 65 and older (Figure 3.6).
The territorial differences and those by degree found for the overall share of readers are
also confirmed for ebook reading. In the North, ebook readers touch 12 percent while in the
South they stop at 8 percent (Figure 3.7). Moreover, if we consider the size of the municipality, it
emerges that there are fewer ebook readers in small municipalities up to 2 thousand
inhabitants (7.9 percent) than in the central municipalities of the metropolitan area (13 percent).
Figure 3.6 - Ebook readers aged 6 and older by gender, age group, and ebook readers aged 25 and older by educational qualification. Year
2020 (a) (percentage values)
PeP
e r 1000 did6i ni ipù P 100 people 25 years of age
and older
MaschFem ne
Tota
25 23 6 23 5
20 8 Lau pi 22,5
17,5
15,
15 14, 14 3 13 5 13,8
2
10,01 ,2
10 8,0 9,0 8,4 Upper Dip oma 1 ,2
6,6
4,9 5,0
5 3,5
0,9 1,6
F to the an 2,7
0
d
6-10 1 -14 15-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-59 60-64 65-74 75 pi
0 5 10 15 20 25

Figure 3.7 - Readers aged 6 and older by type of device used to read and region. Year 2020 (a) (percentage values)
Have read paper books Have read ebook

3. Reading books and 53
newspapers
The share of ebook readers exceeds 22 percent among college graduates while it
drops to 2.7 percent among people with a middle school degree or less (Figure 3.6).
3.4 Strong readers and weak readers

One of the aspects that helps to delineate a reader's profile is the number of books
read in a year. Although the choice to classify readers by the number of books read does
not take into account important elements such as the genre of book read and the
number of pages, undoubtedly some indications can be inferred from this parameter
especially if we focus on its extreme classes15.
If we consider "weak readers" those who have read one to three books in a year,
and "strong readers" those who have read 12 or more books in a year, we can see that
the universe of readers is polarized on reading a rather small number of books: in 2020,
44.6 percent of readers are weak readers, while at the opposite end only 15.2 percent of
readers can be defined as strong readers. Although there is a slight increase in the number
of readings over twenty years (the share of strong readers increases by 3 percentage points
and the average number of books read in a year rises from 6.3 in 2000 to 7.3 in 2020), this
growth does not allow us to say that we are facing a structural change in the profile of
the reader who continues to remain rather weak, confirming an aspect of the relationship
between the population and the book known since the first ISTAT surveys on reading
(Figure 3.8 and Table 3.2).
Figure 3.8 - Readers of books aged 6 and older by number of books read. Years 2000-2020 (a) (percentage values)
Weak readers (1-3 lib i) Average readers (4-11

Strong readers (12 books) Average number
books or more) of books read
00 2
90 12 2 12 9 12 6 12 4 13 5 12 9 13 3 13 2 15 2 15 13 9 14 5 13 9 14 3 13 7 14 13 4 14 3 15 6 15 2
0
80
9
70 38 3 39 0 39 38 8 39 0 39 8 40 5 39 2 39 5 39 5 40 7 40 8 40 8 39 0 39 2 8
39 9 40 6 40 5 40 2 40 2
60 7
50 6
40 5
4
30
3
20
49 5 48 48 3 48 8 47 5 47 3 47 7 47 6 2
46 2 44 9 44 3 45 6 46 0 46 5 45 0 45 5 45 46 5 44 3 44 6
0
0 0
2000 200 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20 0 2020 2 20 3 20 4 20 5 20 6 20 7 20 8 20 9 2020

Another aspect that needs to be emphasized is that the inequalities (gender,

generation, territorial, and by educational qualification) that characterize the reader
profile are also confirmed with respect to the number of books read: where the share
of readers is higher, there are also
15 Istat (1998).
Table 3.2 - Readers of books aged 6 and older by number of books read. Years 2000-2020 (a) (values in thousands and percentage
values)
Number of books read
YEARS Weak readers Average Strong Weak readers Average Strong
Read (1-3 books) readers readers (1-3 books) readers readers
ers (4-11 (12 or (4-11 (12 or
books) more) books) more)
Per 100 persons
Data in thousands For 100 people aged 6 years and olderFor 100 readers aged 6 years and older
of 6 years and older
2000 20.621 38,6 19,1 14,8 4,7 49,5 38,3 12,2
2001 21.851 40,9 19,7 15,9 5,3 48,1 39,0 12,9
2002 22.190 41,4 20,0 16,2 5,2 48,3 39,1 12,6
2003 22.315 41,3 20,2 16,0 5,1 48,8 38,8 12,4
2005 23.175 42,3 20,1 16,5 5,7 47,5 39,0 13,5
2006 24.286 44,1 20,9 17,5 5,7 47,3 39,8 12,9
2007 23.895 43,1 19,9 17,5 5,7 46,2 40,5 13,3
2008 24.596 44,0 21,0 17,2 5,8 47,7 39,2 13,2
2009 25.349 45,1 20,2 18,0 6,9 44,9 39,9 15,2
2010 26.448 46,8 20,7 19,0 7,1 44,3 40,6 15,1
2011 25.499 45,3 20,7 18,4 6,3 45,6 40,5 13,9
2012 26.046 46,1 21,2 18,2 6,7 46,0 39,5 14,5
2013 24.494 43,1 20,0 17,0 6,0 46,5 39,5 13,9
2014 23.768 41,4 18,6 16,9 5,9 45,0 40,7 14,3
2015 24.051 42,0 19,1 17,1 5,8 45,5 40,8 13,7
2016 23.180 40,5 18,3 16,5 5,7 45,1 40,8 14,1
2017 23.452 41,0 19,5 16,0 5,5 47,6 39,0 13,4
2018 23.231 40,6 18,9 15,9 5,8 46,5 39,2 14,3
2019 22.898 40,0 17,7 16,1 6,2 44,3 40,2 15,6
2020 23.593 41,4 18,5 16,6 6,3 44,6 40,2 15,2

(a) Have read at least one book for non-strictly educational or professional reasons in the twelve months preceding the interview.
Figure 3.9 - Readers of books aged 6 and older by average number of books read, gender, age group, geographic breakdown, and readers
of books aged 25 and older by educational qualification. Years 2000-2020 (a) (average number)
Readers 6 years and Readers 6 years and
older older
Ma h Females 6-24 25-44 45-64 65 and
12 12 more
1 1
10 10
9 7,8 9
8 6,6 7,4 8
7 7
6 6,6 6
6,8
5 6,0 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
0 0
Readers 25 years and Readers 6 years of

older age and older
Until the med license at Dipl a higher Laur or more North Center Me oday
1 9,7 12
10 1
8,6 8,6
9 6,8 10
8 7, 7,2 9 8, 8,
8 7,
7 7,1 6,9
6 7
5,9 6,5 6 6,5
5 5,5 5,8
5 5,3
4
4 4,6
3 3
2 2
0 0

more frequent readers. There are more women readers who read more books in a
year on average than men (7.8 books read compared to 6.6), it is men who have the
lead in terms of weak readers (48.5 percent compared to 41.8 percent of women
readers). At the oppo- rior among female readers, the share of those who have read 12
or more books in a year is higher (16.7 percent compared to 13.3 percent) (Figure 3.9).
In 2020, readers in the North read an average of 8.1 books in a year, while in the Mid-
Day the number drops to 5.8; among college graduates the average number stands at
8.6, while among those with a high school diploma or less, the figure drops to 6.5.
The only exception is age: in this case, the most frequent readers are found among
the elderly aged 65 and older (an average of 8.9 books in a year, while in the 6-24
range the value drops to 6.7). Thus, as age increases, the share of the population that
engages in leisure reading decreases, but among the few who do, there are many more
assiduous readers than among the young (Figure 3.9).
Figure 3.10 - Book readers aged 6 and older by number of books read and type of media used. Year 2020 (a)
(percentage values)
Weak readers (1-3 Average readers (7-11 Strong readers (12

books) books) books or more)
100 3,4
12,5 1 15,2
90
2 ,4
80
26,3
70 39,2
40,2
60
50
40 75,2
30 62,8
48,3 44,6
20
10
0
Lettor of l br cart (b) Lettor of ebook/libr onli (c) Fru tors of aud o br (d) Lettor (e)

(b) Per 100 print readers.
(c) For 100 ebook/online book readers.
(d) For 100 audiobook users.
(e) For 100 readers.
The share of weak readers is across the board with respect to the medium used to
read and increases as one moves to the less popular media: if, in fact, among print
readers 48.3 percent have read at most 3 books in a year, among ebook/online book
readers the share rises to 62.8 percent and reaches 75.2 percent among those who
have listened to audiobooks (Figure 3.10).
3.5 Reading of books and use of new technologies

Over the past decade, in parallel with the decline in the share of book readers, we
have witnessed a massive spread of new technologies and their increasingly intensive
use, especially among the younger generation.
These technologies offer not only new opportunities to spend time but also new
opportunities to read. In fact, while it is true that the share of book readers has declined, it is
also true that we read much more today than we did a few years ago because digital has
imposed the written word as the code of communication.
All this has resulted in two major changes in the relationship between the
population and reading. The first relates to the subject matter of reading: today more than
yesterday the population (especially the younger population) spends their time reading
short texts contained on the web: emails, articles on a website, blog posts, Facebook
messages, tweets, text messages, messages exchanged on WhatsApp.
The second, on the other hand, concerns the spread of new ways of reading: new
technologies have fostered the spread of a shorter, faster and discontinuous way of
reading, in a succession of now rapid now slow reading. Reading understood in the
traditional sense, linear and progressive, has in fact been joined by a zapping model
reading that ranges from WhatsApp messaging, to emails, to articles in online
newspapers, to ebooks, to searching (and then reading) information of any kind on the
web16
.
Reading a tweet or a text message is, however, a very different activity from
reading a book. Reading, understood in the traditional, linear and progressive sense as
reading a book is, requires time and concentration, but concentration eludes because we
are con- tinually attracted and distracted by new digital stimuli17.
The data show that between 2010 and 2020, in the face of a 5.4 percentage point
decline in the share of book readers, the use of new technologies increased greatly:
the share of daily Internet users increased by almost 33 percentage points (from 26.4
percent to 59 percent) and by more than 44 percentage points among 11-14 year olds
(from 32.8 percent to 76.9 percent). Strong increases were also registered among 15-24
year olds, who in 2020, as in 2010, remain the largest users (over 87 percent)18 (Figure
3.11). Moreover, since 2014, daily Internet use has surpassed that of the PC. This is an
interesting figure that confirms that now the connection to the Internet is freed from the
physicality of the computer, and this is thanks to many other portable devices that
provide access from anywhere. In 2020, the share of daily Internet users stands at 59
percent, more than 25 percentage points higher than the share of daily pc users (33.4
percent); in addition, 57.5 percent of the population connected to the Internet with a
device other than a pc (cell phone, smartphone or other mobile devices), a
share that among young people exceeds 87 percent.
New technologies have also assumed an increasingly important role in com-
munication among individuals. Between 2010 and 2020 , in fact, the share of the
population who say they used the Internet in the 3 months prior to the interview to
send or receive email increased from 36.7 percent to 53.1 percent, and the use of social
networks (e.g., creating a user profile, posting text or photos or other contributions on
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat) from 21.1 percent to 41.5 percent, while the
use of instant messaging services (such as WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, Snapchat) grew
even more, from 12.5 percent to 62.7 percent (Figure 3.11).
16 Mikics (2015), Solimine (2020).
17 Raffaele Simone states that the mediasphere exalts interruption over concentration, David Mikics speaks of a
continuous distraction (calling it "digital distraction") that fuels the parceling out of attention. Alberto Contri also
reflects on the same theme, who points out that the Web exposes us to a permanent connection that makes us
always available to any form of interruption. Simone (2012), Mikics (2015), Contri (2017).
18 The analysis on the use of new technologies was conducted using the Istat "Aspects of Daily Life" survey,
newspapers
Figure 3.11 - People aged 6 and older who used PCs, used the Internet, did some activities on the Internet, and
read books. Years 2010 and 2020 (percentage values)
20 0 2020
80
70 62
59,0
60 53
46,8
50 41,5 41,4
36,7
40 31,6 33
26,4
30 21,
20 12
0
0
t p t pdt t t
t tti i g ni ( ) nt t t tt / t S t k v d tt b()
g () (b) (b) (c) gg
tt (b) (d)

(a) In the 12 months prior to the interview.
(b) In the three months prior to the interview.
(c) For example, they created a user profile, posted texts or photos or other contributions, in the three months prior to the interview.
(d) WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, Snapchat.
(e) Have read at least one book for non-strictly educational or professional reasons in the 12 months preceding the interview.
Particularly among the younger generation, the new modes of communication that
the Internet offers have become everyday use, changing the way they spend their
leisure time but also the way they relate to each other, get information, and study. In
2020, 75 percent of 15-19 year olds and more than 78 percent of 20-34 year olds say
they use email, nearly 8 out of 10 15-24 year olds say they use social networks (78
percent), and nearly 9 out of 10 say they use instant messaging services (88 percent)
(Figure 3.12).
What effect has this had and will it have on book reading? Available data tell us
that in the past there was not a vicious circle between reading and the use of new
technologies, but rather a virtuous circle that fostered mutual reinforcement in the use
of various media,19 and this mutual reinforcement is still confirmed today.
In 2020, in fact, higher shares of new technology users are found among book
readers than among nonreaders: 75.8 percent of book readers use the Internet every day
compared to 47.2 percent of nonreaders; 78.3 percent use instant messaging, while
among nonreaders the share stops at 51.6 percent; 53.9 percent use social networks
compared to 32.7 percent of nonreaders.
What the data do not allow us to determine is whether there is a cause-and-effect
relationship between the spread of new technologies and the decline in the share of
book readers. We do not know, in fact, whether those who claim to be nonreaders
today were readers in the past, and, if they were, we do not know the reasons that led
them away from books. We do not know whether nonreaders do not read because they
are engaged in the use of tablets and smartphones and the many activities these
devices enable.
19 Morrone A., M.Savioli (2008).

Figure 3.12 - People aged 6 and older who used the Internet, instant messaging services, social networks, read
books by age group. Year 2020 (percentage values)
ttern t all gi n (a)
tviz d gger (b ) (d)
tS t sta t rk (b) (c)
hecto b (e)
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
6- 0 11- 415- 920-2425-3435-4445-5455-5960-6465-7475 p

(a) In the 12 months prior to the interview.
(b) In the three months prior to the interview.
(c) For example, they created a user profile, posted texts or photos or other contributions, in the three months prior to the interview.
(d) WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, Snapchat.
(e) Have read at least one book for non-strictly educational or professional reasons in the 12 months preceding the interview.
3.6 Newspaper reading over the past twenty years

Over the past two decades, newspaper reading has experienced a sharp decline only
partially cushioned by the spread from reading online newspapers.20 Throughout the first
half of the 2000s, the share of newspaper readers remained roughly stable at between 61
percent and 63 percent, but from 2008 onward a downward trend began that in just eight
years saw a loss of more than 4 million readers, bringing the share below 51 percent in
2015, the lowest value in the entire historical series21 (Figure 3.13). After the slight
recovery recorded in 201622, newspaper readership started to decline again from 2017,
albeit at a more subdued pace than in the previous period. The downward trend stopped
in 2020, the year of the pandemic, when the readership share stabilized at 51.6 percent
(totaling 26 million 800 thousand readers).
20 Fieg points out that in the 2013-2018 period, digital copies of newspapers had limited circulation despite the
promotions and discounted subscriptions with which they were offered to readers. At the beginning of 2013, there
were just over 200,000 digital copies circulated daily; in 2018 there are just over 350,000 copies, an increase of only
9.0 percent compared to 2017. Source: "Carlo Lombardi" Technical Observatory for Newspapers and News
Agencies (2019).
21 The analysis on newspaper readers was carried out using the Istat "Aspects of Daily Life" survey,
22 Starting in 2016, Istat included a new question on online newspaper reading in the Aspects of Daily Life Survey.
Alongside the historical question "Do you read newspapers at least once a week?" it included the question "Do you
read online newspapers at least once a week?" The inclusion of this new question registered a recovery of 5.8
percentage points in the readership share highlighting that there is a share of the population that although they
read online newspapers to the first question "Do you read newspapers at least once a week?", they answer no
and only to the additional question on online reading do they answer yes. This is a gray area of non-perception
of themselves as readers that emerges only when the term online is made explicit in the text of the question. In
2020 this is 8 million 594 thousand readers aged 15 and older, 16.5 percent of the total population aged 15 and
older. A trend that has been increasing over time (it was 4 million 732 thousand in 2016, 9.1 percent).
newspapers
The decline in people's interest in reading newspapers has occurred contextually with
the spread of new ways in which people can inform themselves. The spread of the Internet,
in fact, has fostered the emergence of social networks, blogs, newsgroups, and online
discussion forums, the use of which has become increasingly widespread, causing
newspapers to lose their primacy as a medium of information. For example, between 2015
and 2020, the share of the population
Figure 3.13 - Readers of newspapers aged 15 and older. Years 2000-2020 (a) (percentage values)
Alm g tt T tt g
90
80
70 63 63 6 62 62 62
6 60 7 60 3 59
58 3 56 2 56 6
60 53 53 53
50 8 50 8 5 5
50
40
30 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 20 7 20 6 19 8 19 5
17 4 16 4 15 5 15 6 19 0 17 17 8 16 8 16 5
20
10
0
2000 200 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20 0 20 20 2 20 3 20 4 20 5 20 6 20 7 20 8 20 9 2020

(a) They read newspapers at least one day a week (from 2016 online newspapers are also considered).
Table 3.3 - Readers of newspapers aged 15 and older by reading frequency. Years 2000-2020 (a) (values in thousands
and percentage values)
ReadersReading frequency
5 days or more 5 days or more
YEAR of which of which
thousandsFor
Data in 100 persons every day every day
S
15 years of
age and older
For 100 people aged 15 years and olderFor 100 readers aged 15 years and older
2000 29.695 61,4 25,8 22,2 42,1 36,2
2001 30.602 63,2 26,6 22,8 42,1 36,0
2002 31.064 63,8 26,4 22,8 41,3 35,7
2003 30.212 61,6 25,3 21,5 41,1 34,9
2005 30.997 62,3 25,0 21,4 40,2 34,4
2006 31.181 62,3 25,5 21,9 40,9 35,1
2007 31.313 62,2 25,6 21,8 41,2 35,1
2008 30.834 60,7 24,9 20,7 41,0 34,0
2009 30.866 60,3 24,5 20,6 40,6 34,2
2010 30.409 59,1 23,5 19,8 39,7 33,5
2011 29.858 58,3 23,0 19,5 39,4 33,5
2012 28.876 56,2 20,8 17,4 37,0 31,0
2013 27.620 53,4 19,5 16,4 36,5 30,7
2014 26.517 50,8 18,7 15,5 36,8 30,5
2015 26.496 50,8 18,6 15,6 36,7 30,7
2016 29.497 56,6 23,0 19,0 40,7 33,6
2017 28.062 53,8 20,5 17,1 38,1 31,7
2018 27.913 53,6 21,2 17,8 39,6 33,2
2019 26.731 51,3 20,0 16,8 39,0 32,7
2020 26.795 51,6 19,6 16,5 38,1 31,9

age 15 and older who claim to inform themselves about the facts of Italian politics via
newspapers decreased by almost 8 percentage points (from 30.6 percent to 23.0 percent),
while, during the same period, the share of the population who claim to inform
themselves about politics via social networks (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc.) and/or
via blogs, newsgroups, and online discussion forums doubled (from 10.8 percent to 21.8
percent). While in 2015 the share of those who informed themselves through newspapers
was 20 percentage points higher than that of those who used social networks and blogs
(30.6 percent compared to 10.8 percent), in 2020 the gap has almost completely
disappeared (23.0 percent and 21.8 percent).
Figure 3.14 - Readers of newspapers aged 15 and older by gender and age group. Years 2000, 2010 and 2020 (a) (percentage values)
2000 20 0 2020
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
more
more
more
75 and
75 and
75 and
M F M f

(a) They read newspapers at least one day a week (online newspapers are also included in 2020).
Between 2000 and 2019, newspaper readership declines among both males and
females, but among the former the decrease is much more pronounced (-12 p.p. versus -
8.3 p.p. for females) (Figures 3.14 and 3.15). Readership declines in all age groups
between 15 and 59 and, in particular, between 15 and 34 (about -18 p.p.), while losses
are zero among the population aged 60 and older. In the North-Center, the share of
readers decreases by about 11 p.p., while in the Southern regions the losses are smaller (-
7.7 p.p.). The decrease is across the board by educational qualification although more
pronounced among high school graduates (Figure 3.15).
However, in 2020, the year the pandemic began, against an overall readership share
that remained stable compared to 2019, there are some positive signs. In fact, the share of
let- ters shows a slight growth among women (+1.5 p.p. compared to 2019), young people
aged 25-34 (+4.4 p.p.), high school graduates (2.2 p.p.), and the population living in the
North (+1.4 p.p.) (Figure 3.15).
The changes that have taken place over the past twenty years have resulted in a con-
sistent reduction in gender differences and a slight reduction in territorial differences, which,
however, cannot be interpreted positively because they are due to the decrease in quo- tidal
readers where the quotas were highest (among men and in the North-Central regions). On
the contrary, generational differences increase markedly as a result of the sharpest
decrease in readers among young people aged 15-24, that is, where the shares were already
much lower.
Thus in 2020 the percentage of readers still continues to be nearly 9 percentage
points higher than that of female readers (56.1 percent compared to 47.4 percent), but
the gap was nearly 15 percentage points in 2000.
The gap between the share of readers aged 15-24 and that of adults aged 45-59 is
more than 18 percentage points, but it was 12.6 points in 2000 when the share of young
readers was much higher.
The share of readers is 18.5 percentage points higher in northern than in southern regions
(59.3 percent compared to 40.8 percent), and the distance was only slightly higher in 2000
(nearly 21 points). There are nearly 36 points of distance between college graduates and
those with at most a middle school degree or less (75.0 percent compared to 39.1 percent),
the same distance as in 2000 (Figure 3.15).
Figure 3.15 - Readers of newspapers aged 15 and older by gender, age group, geographic breakdown and readers aged 25 and older by educational
qualification.
Years 2000-2020 (a) (percentage values)
and olderMa h Females and older
15-24 25-34 35-44 45-59 60 and
0 0 100 more
9 0 90
80 80
69,
66,2
70 70
56,
60 60
50 54 50
52,6
40 47
40
30
30
20
20
10
10
and older
Up to med a license Higher Dipl a Laur or more
and older
North Center Me oday
100 100
87,6
90 90
77 79,8
75,0
80 70 80 70,0
65,9
70 62 70 59,3
60 51 49,5 60 63
61,5
50 50
39,
52,
40 40 49, 48,6
40,8
30 30
20 20
10 10

3.7 Readers' preferences: between print and online newspapers

In recent years, the population's interest in reading online newspapers has been
increasing. In fact, analysis of data for the period 2016-2019 shows a growth in the share
of the population who say they read them and a concomitant decrease in the share of
those who read only print newspapers.
This trend was accentuated in 2020 with the pandemic favoring online newspaper
reading at the expense of print newspapers. In 2020, in fact, while the overall share of
newspaper readership remained stable compared to 2019, the
changes taking place: reading online newspapers increases by 3 percentage points (from
32.1 percent in 2019 to 35.5 percent) and the share of the population that says they
read only print newspapers decreases further (from 19.1 percent in 2019 to 15.9
percent) (Figure 3.16).
Figure 3.16 - Readers of newspapers aged 15 and older by type of media used. Years 2016-2020 (a) (percentage values)
Legg qtd rt Legg daily n
50
45
40
35 5
35 3 3
30 2 29 9
30 26
23 8
25 2
19
20 15 9
5
5
0
20 6 20 7 20 8 20 9 2020

(a) They read newspapers at least one day a week.
If we analyze the preferences of newspaper readers with respect to media, we can

see that over the past five years readers' tastes have changed profoundly, shifting
massively from print to online. In fact, in 2020, nearly seven out of ten readers read
online newspapers, while only three out of ten said they read print newspapers exclu-
sively. The share of the latter declined greatly from 2016 to 2020, from 46 percent to
30.8 percent; at the opposite end of the spectrum, the share of online newspaper
readers grew substantially from 53.4 percent to 68.9 percent in this time frame (Table
3.4).
Table 3.4 - Readers of newspapers aged 15 and older by type of media used. Years 2016-2020 (a) (percentage values)
They only read They read They only read They read
Years print newspapers online newspapers print newspapers online newspapers
For 100 people aged 15 and olderFor 100 newspaper readers aged 15 and
older
2016 26,1 30,2 46,0 53,4
2017 23,8 29,9 44,2 55,5
2018 21,0 32,4 39,2 60,6
2019 19,1 32,1 37,1 62,5
2020 15,9 35,5 30,8 68,9

Online newspaper reading is more prevalent among males (38.6 percent compared to
32.6 percent of females), with the exception of the 15-24 age group where girls show
more interest than their peers. With respect to age, the highest shares of readers are
found among the 20-64 year-old population (more than 47 percent in the 25-44 age
group), the lowest among younger people and the 65 and older population.
Exclusive reading of print newspapers is also more prevalent among males (17.2
percent compared to 14.6 percent), but unlike online newspaper reading, gender
differences are found only from the age of 45 and increase as age increases to reach
the highest value among the population aged 75 and older (40.5 percent of male
readers compared to 26.7 percent of females). Exclusive reading of print newspapers
shows an increasing trend as age increases: it is uncommon among young people and
adults up to age 44 (less than one in ten) and reaches the highest value among the
elderly aged 75 and older (32.3 percent) (Figure 3.17).
Figure 3.17 - Readers of newspapers aged 15 and older by type of medium used, gender and age group. Year 2020
(a) (percentage values)
M F
m
60
mT t
50
40
30
20
0
5 9 20 24 25 34 35 44 45 54 55 59 60 64 65 74 75 Tot 5 9 20 24 25 34 35 44 45 54 55 59 60 64 65 74 75 Tt
p p
L ggq t d t L ggq t d

As with leisure reading of books, reading of newspapers emerges as half of the readers
can be considered sporadic and infrequent readers having reported reading the
newspaper only one or two days a week (54.7 percent of those who read exclusively
print newspapers and 49.2 percent of online newspaper readers), while only a quarter of
those who prefer exclusively the print newspaper and a third of online newspaper
readers are daily readers (Figure 3.18).
Figure 3.18 - Newspaper readers aged 15 and older by reading frequency. Year 2020 (percentage
values)
1/2 g 3/4 g 5/6 g T tt g
00
90
25,3
32,0
80
5,5
70
5,8
60 14,5
13,0
50
40
30
54,7
49,2
20
0
L gg qtd t () L gg qtd (b)

(a) Per 100 readers who read only print newspapers.
(b) Per 100 online newspaper readers.
3.8 Reading of books, newspapers and magazines during the first and second pandemic waves
2020 was the year of the pandemic that disrupted the everyday life of all of us,
strongly im- pacting the organization of our days. In particular, the March-April lockdown
was an exceptional event that kept millions of people locked in their homes for two
months, but the following months of 2020, in an alternation of more or less stringent
openings and closures, were also far from the normality to which people were accustomed.
Restricted in their ability to enjoy sports, cultural and relational activities outside the
home many people found themselves with a greater amount of free time to enjoy inside
the home. Among the different activities that people enjoyed in
this "newfound time" reading also played an important role23.
During the lockdown, reading books, newspapers and magazines accompanied the
days of more than six out of ten people (62.6 percent of people 18 years of age and
older), representing the third most practiced leisure time activity after TV-radio
enjoyment (93.6 percent) and telephone/video calls with relatives and friends (74.9
percent).
Much of this interest in reading, however, has been catalyzed by newspapers (print and
online) as key media, along with radio and television, for getting informed about pandemic-
related events. In fact, 40.9 percent of the population aged 18 and older say they read them
on an average day of the lockdown, while the share of those who say they read books (26.9
percent) or magazines (16.5 percent) is lower.
During the second epidemic wave, between December 2020 and January 2021, clear
signs of a transition toward behaviors closer to pre-pandemic ones emerge. Indeed, a
number of leisure activities that had intensified in the lockdown will decline, with reading
being the activity with the strongest contraction among them: the share of population
23 The analysis on the readership of books, newspapers and magazines during the first and second pandemic
waves was carried out using the Istat survey "The Diary of Italians at the Time of COVID-19 " as a source.
who, on an average day, devoted themselves to reading decreases by almost 14 p.p.

(from 62.6 percent to 48.8 percent), particularly newspaper reading loses almost 9 p.p.
(40.9 percent to 32 percent), book reading decreases by 6.7 p.p. (from 26.9 percent to
20.2 percent), and magazine reading loses 5.5 p.p. (from 16.5 percent to 11 percent)
(Figure 3.19)24.
Figure 3.19 - People aged 18 years and older who read books, newspapers and magazines on an average weekly day in Phase 1 and Phase 2
of the COVID-19 health emergency. April 2020 and December 2020/January 2021 (percentage values)
Books, newspapers and magazines Libr
April 2020December 2020-January April 2020December 2020-January 202
202 45
62,6 40
Reading of daily books, riv ste
(paper or digital) 48,8
35
Reading books 26,9 30 26

(on paper/ebook line) 20,2
25 21
20,2
20 18,2
Reading 40,9
newspapers 32,0 15
(print/online)
10 7,0
5,1
16,5 5
Reading 11,0
magazines 0
(print/online)
Books (on paper or ebook/online books) Cart books and Ebooks/books online
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Quotidian Magazines
April 2020December 2020-January 202 April 2020December 2020-January 202
45 45
40,9
40 40
35 32 32 35
30 30
25 25
18,9 18,8
20 20 16
15 11 15 11,0
9,2 8,5
10 10 7,3
4,8
5 5
0 0
Newspapers (print/online) Print Newspapers Online newspapers Magazines (print/online) Magazines on paper Online magazines
On an average lockdown day, people continued to prefer reading paper books (21.6
percent), while reading on digital covered 7 percent of people aged 18 and older.
Specifically, most people read exclusively paper books (19.9 percent), while 5.3 percent
read only books on digital media. Only 1.7 percent read both paper books and
ebooks/online books.
On the contrary, for access to information, the population preferred online fruition:
in fact, 32.3 percent of the population aged 18 years and older claimed to have read
online newspapers on an average day of the lockdown, while the share of those who
chose the printed newspaper stood at 11.6 percent. Although newsstands were not
subject to closure during the lockdown, this choice may have been influenced by travel
restrictions that made it more difficult to purchase the printed newspaper.
In the second pandemic wave, decreases in both the share of the population aged
18 and older who on an average day claim to have read paper books, which loses more
than 3 p.p. (atte- denting to 18.2 percent) and ebook reading, which loses 2 p.p., (settling
at 5.1 per
24 Istat (2022).
percent). Online newspaper reading also declined (-13.5 p.p.), while print newspaper
reading increased (+7.3 p. p.), the latter likely aided by the easing of travel restrictions
resulting in people returning to newsstands.
In the second pandemic wave, the transition to more pre-pandemic-like behaviors are
also confirmed by data on time spent reading. During the lockdown, about four out of ten
readers said they increased the amount of time they spent reading on paper (of books,
newspapers, and magazines) and almost five out of ten said they spent more time
reading online compared to a pre-COVID day.
As of December 2020, behaviors are settling toward more usual habits although
there remains a share of readers who continue to spend more time reading than on a pre-
COVID day: two out of ten say they spend more time reading in print and three out of ten
say they spend more time reading online (Figure 3.20).
Figure 3.20 - People aged 18 years and older who read (books, newspapers, magazines) on an average weekly day in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of
the COVID-19 health emergency by type of media used and time spent on this activity compared to a pre-COVID day. April 2020
and December 2020/January 2021 (percentage values)
Reading on paper Online

More time Ste o temp Less time
reading
More time Stes temp Less time
April 2020 39,8 56,9 3,0 April 2020 46,7 47,6 4,7
December 2020 - December 2020 -

21,0 73,5 5,3 32, 65,2 ,
G naio 202 G naio 202
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

The profound technological, social and cultural transformations that have shaped the
society in which we live over the past two decades have profoundly changed the
population's relationship with reading.
The most significant element of this mutation is the growing disinterest that the
populace has shown in reading books and newspapers. In fact, the share of book readers,
which had grown until 2010, showed a contraction of more than 5 percentage points
between 2010 and 2019, and even greater was the contraction recorded for
newspaper reading: -12.2 percentage points between 2002 (the peak year of the
historical series) and 2019.
Then in 2020, the year the pandemic began, the share of book readers increased
slightly compared with 2019, while the negative trend of reading quoti- dians was halted
and the share of readers stabilized at 2019 levels.
Although the epidemic and emergency situation due to the spread of COVID-19 would
seem to have had an albeit minimal positive effect it will be necessary to wait for the data of
the next few years to see whether this is a contingent effect or whether the pandemic has
really fostered changes in the reading behavior of the population, retaining new book readers
and interrupting the negative trend in newspaper reading. The long history of Istat surveys
on reading has shown that changes in people's reading behaviors and habits only become
apparent over the long term, and that fluctuations between years are often the result
more of contingent situations than actual changes.
Over the period of time in which the shares of book and newspaper readers were
registering significant losses, the Internet and the latest generation of digital devices
(smartphones, tablets) have become an integral part of our daily lives, assuming an
increasingly important role in communicative processes, changing the ways in which
we use our leisure time but also the way we relate, get information, work and study. For
now, the available data do not allow us to determine whether there is a cause-and-
effect relationship between the spread of new technologies and the growing disinterest
the population has shown in reading books and newspapers.
One point worth noting, however, is that the digital revolution in which we are all
immersed also offers new opportunities for reading books and newspapers: ebooks and
online newspapers can provide an alternative (in addition to or instead of paper
depending on one's preferences) that has the potential to build reader loyalty.
For now, data for 2020 show how book and newspaper readers have usu- lled
differently from these new opportunities. Among book readers, digital reading has not
yet taken off. Despite the fact that other types of media (ebooks, online books, and
audiobooks) are spreading alongside the paper book, the paper book remains at the
center of readers' preferences, continuing to be read by nine out of ten readers, and as
many as seven out of ten readers still claim to read only paper books.
On the contrary, the spread of new technologies has had a greater impact on the
choices of newspaper readers: in fact, today reading the daily newspaper online is the
most popular mode with almost seven out of ten readers saying they read them. We do
not know whether these are readers who used to read the printed newspaper before and
then preferred to switch to the online one, or whether they are new readers who started
reading the newspaper precisely because of the spread of online newspapers. What is
certain is that the spread of digital reading has only partially cushioned the population's
disinterest in reading the daily newspaper. The widespread use of new technologies opens
up new scenarios in the design of the-
statistical surveys on reading and suggests, indeed mandates, new methodological
approaches to understanding who today's book and newspaper readers are, what media
they use, and how and how often they read and inform themselves.
One research topic in need of further investigation is that related to nonreading. In
order to understand whether there is a cause-and-effect relationship between the spread of
new technologies and the population's growing disinterest in reading books and
newspapers, the behaviors of nonreaders need to be investigated more deeply by
asking them why they do not read and also by investigating their past reading behaviors
(whether they have been readers of books or newspapers in the past and what are the
reasons why they stopped reading).
Italian Publishers Association - AIE, Study Office (ed.). 2021. Report on the state of publishing in
Italy 2021. Milan, Italy: AIE.
Casati, R. 2013. Against digital colonialism. Instructions for continuing reading. Bari, Italy:
Laterza Publishers.
Center for Books and Reading, in collaboration with Associazione Italiana Editori - AIE. 2021.
From emergency to a plan for restart. White paper on reading and cultural consumption in
Italy (2020-2021). Rome, Italy: Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato Italiano.
Contri, A. 2017. Does McLuhan no longer live here? The new scenarios of communication in the
era of constant partial attention. Turin, Italy: Bollati Boringhieri.
National Institute of Statistics - Istat. 2022. "Production and Reading of Books in Italy. Year 2020."
Statistics Report. Rome, Italy: Istat, https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/266127.
National Institute of Statistics - Istat. 2021. "Production and Reading of Books in Italy. Year 2019."
Statistics Report. Rome. Italy: Istat. https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/252381.
National Institute of Statistics - Istat. 2020a. "Publishers and books in the COVID-19 scenario."
Statistics Today. Rome, Italy: Istat. https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/241798.
National Institute of Statistics - Istat. 2020b. "Citizens' Reaction to the Lockdown. April 5-April 21,
2020." Statistics Report. Rome, Italy: Istat. https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/243357.
National Institute of Statistics - Istat. 2020c. "Phase 1: Days at home during lockdown. April 5.
- April 21, 2020." Statistics Report. Rome, Italy: Istat. https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/243829.
National Institute of Statistics - Istat. 2020d. Annual report 2020. The state of the country.
National Institute of Statistics - Istat. 2020e. "Permanent Census of Population and Housing:
education. Year 2019." Infographics. Rome, Italy: Istat. https://www.istat.it/it/
archive/251658.
National Institute of Statistics - Istat. 2019. "Citizens and ICT. Year 2019." Statistics Report. Rome,
Italy: Istat. https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/236920.
National Institute of Statistics - Istat. 2012. Italy in 150 years. Summary of historical statistics
1861-2010. Rome, Italy: Istat. https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/228440.
National Institute of Statistics - Istat. 1998. "Book readers in Italy." Topics, No. 12. Rome, Italy: Istat. Mikics,
D. 2015. Slow reading. Reading slowly in the age of haste. Milan, Italy: Garzanti. Morrone, A.,
and M. Savioli. 2008. Reading in Italy. Milan, Italy: Editrice Bibliografica.
"Carlo Lombardi" technical observatory for newspapers and news agencies. 2019. 2019 report on
the newspaper industry in Italy. Rome, Italy: "Carlo Lombardi" technical observatory for
newspapers and news agencies.
Roncaglia, G. 2014. "Publishing crisis and digital diffusion." Doppiozero cultural magazine.
Roncaglia, G. 2010. The fourth revolution. Six lessons on the future of the book. Bari: Editori
Laterza.
Roncaglia, G., and G. Solimine. 2021. "Book circulation in 2020: open issues and interpretive
hypotheses." AIB Studies: Journal of Library and Information Science, Volume 61,
N. 1: 11-30.
Simone, R. 2012. Caught in the web. The mind in the times of the web. Milan, Italy: Garzanti.
Solimine, G. 2020. "The reading stargate, or the transition we are going through," Aibstudi,
V. 60 N. 2. May/August, https://aibstudi.aib.it/article/view/12179.
Solimine, G. 2010. Italy that reads. Bari, Italy: Editori Laterza.
Wolf, M. 2018. Reader come home. The reading brain in a digital world. Milan, Italy: Vita e
pensiero.
Wolf, M. 2009. Proust and the squid. History and science of the reading brain. Milan, Italy: Vita
e pensiero.
69
4. OUTDOOR AND INDOOR SHOWS AND ENTERTAINMENT 1
4.1 Introduction
The live events and performances sector is undoubtedly the one that has suffered
the most in 2020, given the physical impossibility of traveling to cultural venues or
attending events and performances especially during lockdown periods. Theatrical
performances, exhibitions, and concerts have shifted from a stage within physical
venues dedicated to them to a virtual parterre housed in domestic spaces that have
turned into museums, movie theaters, and theaters when needed. This change was
forced by the needs of the moment and required the various forms of cultural
participation not only to move from a physical place to a virtual one, but also to perform
an operation of adaptation and transformation to the new context.
Despite the many initiatives put in place by the cultural and creative production
sector to react to what was happening in 2020, the backlash that the pandemic
brought about was of enormous proportions and was reflected in most aspects
concerning cultural participation and leisure activities. If we look, for example, at Siae
data, published in April 20212, the 2020 budget closes with a loss of 3.8 billion euros. The
loss was not only economic (-77.4 percent at the box office), but also in admissions (-
72.7 percent) and shows (-69.4 percent) and was differentiated by type of show. Concert
activity suffered the most with a per- dita of 83 percent of spectators and an 89 percent
drop in box office spending. The fallout on theater was also heavy, due to both the
abrupt shutdown that took place from the second half of February 2020 and the second
lockdown at the start of the 2020-2021 season.
Beyond the current conjuncture related to the deployment of COVID-19 and measures re-
strictive steps taken to counter it, it must be said that for quite some time already, even
before 2020, elements of crisis, but also of profound change have been reported within
the landscape of live performance production and enjoyment3.
Elements of crisis in connection also with what has been experienced in the last
decade due to the difficult economic-financial situation that has characterized Western
countries and that has had important reflections in our country as early as 2012.
According to what has been observed4, the crisis of cultural participation in the last decade has
also been accompanied by a disinvestment of about one billion euros in terms of state
and local (regions, provinces and municipalities) public resources allocated for the
cultural sector (from 6, 7 billion euros in 2000 to 5.7 billion euros in 2018). This reduction
mainly affected local-type spending due to the decline in resources of municipalities (-
750 million, -27 percent), regions (-300 million, -23 percent) and provinces (-220 million,
-82 percent), while in the
1 The chapter was edited and edited by Emanuela Bologna.

2 Italian Society of Authors and Publishers - SIAE (ed.) (2021).
3 Federculture (ed.) (2020).
4 Ibid.
same period, after a decrease in the first decade, between 2010 and 2018 MiBact's state
allocation goes up by 48 percent.
Among the elements of change and renewal observed over the past few years should
undoubtedly be noted the process of diffusion of new digital technologies linked to the
Internet, which have totally changed the concept of cultural offerings both in terms of
the numerical proliferation of events and their diversification from more traditional
offerings. Traditional type events in which the physical presence of the spectator within
the venue were the only possible form, have been joined by virtual or hybrid events,
that is, mixing the mise en place in a physical place with the virtual stage obtained
through digital instruments that are increasingly within the reach of a click. This mode of
fruition has undoubtedly been the one most experimented with in conjunction with
restrictions due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to this, there is also to be noted how we are in the era in which more
and more people are not only users of culture, but also producers, so-called prosumers5, the
hobbies and interests cultivated by each person become relevant within the sphere of
leisure time, and the Internet has played an important role in this; increasingly blurred, in
fact, appears the confi- dence between producers and consumers, online users share
content of their own creation on websites (texts, photographs, music, video software,
etc.) or give space to their digital creativity through websites or blogs. What has just
been said, has been realized especially in such an atypical historical moment as the one
we are currently living and in which, often confined at home and deprived of the usual
coordinates of time and space, we have had to reinvent a new time of daily life filled
with time-passes and activities, sometimes entirely new, and which have redesigned our
daily life. If we consider, for example, an average day of the lockdown of phase 1 of the
pandemic from COVID-19 (April 2020) hobbies and bricolages activities have concerning
most of the adult population aged 18 years and older6 with an increase of about 50 percent
compared to what was observed in pre-COVID period 7.
4.2 Attendance at cultural events away from home over the past twenty years: old and new trends
The analysis of the last twenty years of participation in out-of-home performances
carried out with the help of data from the ISTAT "Aspects of Everyday Life" survey8 highlights,
starting from the entry into the new millennium, an almost uninterrupted growth until
the two-year period 2010/2011 and a subsequent decline that began in 2012, also due
to the economic-financial crisis that has characterized Western countries and that has
had important repercussions in our country as well9. This downturn mainly involved the
performance of at least two cultural participation activities outside the home10 (which
passed
5 A prosumer can be defined as a consumer who is himself a producer, or who by consuming contributes to
production. The practice of being both producer and consumer is called prosumerism. The term is a composite
formed from the English words producer and consumer.
6 https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/241013.
7 Reference is made to data released through the Istat survey "Citizens and Leisure." Year 2015: https://www.istat.it/it/
archive/5538.
8 Reference is made to data released through the Istat "Aspects of Daily Life" survey: https://www.istat.it/it/
archive/91926.
9 National Economic and Labor Council - CNEL, Special Commission on Information (III) (ed.) (2014).
10 The analysis was carried out with the help of the overall indicator of cultural participation outside the home developed
4. Indoor and outdoor shows and entertainment 71
from 35.8 percent in 2011 to 32.6 percent in 2012), while the single-activity habit
remained more stable. The observed reduction has been partly reabsorbed gradually
since the two-year period 2014/2015, but it has never been fully recovered until now;
in addition, in 2020, pandemic events brought cultural participation outside the home
back to even lower levels than recorded at the beginning of the new millennium in a
single year.
Figure 4.1 - People aged 6 and older by number of cultural participation activities outside the home in the past twelve months
preceding the interview and gender. Years 2000-2020 (percentage values)
M F M F
60
50
40
30
20
0
2000
2002
2003
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2020
2000
2002
2003
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2020
2000
2002
2003
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2020
20 0
20 2
20 3
20 4
20 5
20 6
20 7
20 8
20 9
20 0
20 2
20 3
20 4
20 5
20 6
20 7
20 8
20 9
20 0
20 2
20 3
20 4
20 5
20 6
20 7
20 8
20 9
200
200
200
20
20
20
Ntt t tt t 2 p tt t
As has been observed for other aspects related to cultural participation such as
reading books,11 the gender ratio in terms of cultural participation outside the home
has changed more favorably for women over time; this trend first resulted in parity in
participation between men and women from 2015-2016 onward, and, subsequently, in
women overtaking men in the subsequent period. Young women aged 15-24 and adult
women aged 55-74 especially contributed to this trend as they increase their level of
cultural participation outside the home between 2014 and 2019.
Cultural participation outside the home shows higher values among younger
people. Particularly in the 11-24 age group, for both men and women, while in the later
age groups the share of active people gradually decreases to the lowest levels among the
population over seventy-four years old.
If we analyze the level of cultural participation from a generational point of view
and in a time trend of the last twenty years, we can see that over time, there has been
an increase in the enjoyment of cultural activities outside the home, which has affected
not only the younger generations, but also the older ones, while greater stability of
behavior has been recorded in the middle age groups (Figure 4.2). When comparing
different generations
within Istat's Bes project and which considers the share of people aged 6 years and older who have engaged in
two or more cultural activities outside the home in the 12 months preceding the interview. There are 6 activities
considered: went to the movies at least four times; went at least once to: theater; museums and/or exhibitions;
archaeological sites, monuments; classical music concerts, opera; and concerts of other music, respectively.
11 Morrone, Savioli (2008).
different peculiarities are observed between men and women. With regard to men
between 2000 and 2010, a sharp increase was observed among children and youth aged
6-19 years, stability among 20-34 year olds, and an increase among the population
aged 35 years and older, particularly among 55- to 74-year-olds, which show the
largest increases. Subsequently, between 2011 and 2019, the level of participation
among 6-14 year olds and 20-24 year olds remained fairly stable, while a decrease was
observed among 15-19 year olds and over the entire 25-64 year old adult group. An
increase, albeit slight, is observed only among the elderly population aged 65 and
older.
As for women, on the other hand, a strong increase in cultural participation outside
the home was observed between 2000 and 2010 in all age groups especially among the
very young up to 24 years of age and adults and seniors aged 55-74. Thereafter, in 2011- 2019
cultural participation outside the home continued to increase, albeit at less pronounced
levels than in the previous decade, among girls up to age 19 and women aged 60 and older,
while in the middle age groups a decrease in participation was observed.
Figure 4.2 - People aged 6 and older who have engaged in two or more cultural participation activities outside the home, gender
and
AGE CLASS. Years 2000, 2010, 2019 and 2020 (percentage values)
2000 20 0 20 9 2020
70
60
50
40
30
20
0
60
59
60
59
60
59
20 24
25 34
35 44
45 54
55 59
60 64
65 74
20 24
25 34
35 44
45 54
55 59
60 64
65 74
20 24
25 34
35 44
45 54
55 59
60 64
65 74
4
4
75 plus
75 plus
75 plus
M F M F
Source: Istat, Aspects of Daily Life Survey.
Finally, analyzing the 2019-2020 trend, we see that the pandemic related to the
spread of COVID-19 has severely affected leisure activities that take place outside the
home, across the entire population. The closure of museums, theaters, and cinemas, the
suspension of concert activities, and the limits imposed on travel have led to a sharp
decline in the share of the population that claims to have enjoyed cultural activities; in
fact, it is estimated that in 2020 the share of people aged 6 years and older who said
they had engaged in at least two cultural activities outside the home (such as going to
the cinema, theater or concert, visiting museums or exhibitions) in the last 12 months
prior to the interview stood at 29.8 percent registering a decrease of 5.3 percentage
points compared to 2019 (35.1 percent)12. Between 2019 and 2020, the decrease was
found to be
12 The "Aspects of Daily Life" survey for 2020 was conducted between April and September 2020. Since the questions
highest among younger segments of the population, among whom there are generally
the highest rates of use, and across the board.
In 2020, cultural participation outside the home is confirmed to be highest among
women (30.6 percent compared to 29 percent among men) and young people aged 11-
24 (about 44 percent), decreasing gradually in later age groups to below 9 percent
among people aged 75 and older.
Wanting to analyze the changes over the past two decades in the weight exerted by
certain sociodemographic and spatial factors and identify the determinants of cultural
participation outside the home, logistic models were carried out and average marginal
effects calculated.
Analysis of the results shows how, net of the effects exerted by the other
sociodemographic variables considered,13 the positive effects of women toward cultural
enjoyment outside the home increase, which in 2019 and 2020 are significantly higher
than those of men. Although decreasing over time, the positive effect of the younger age
groups toward cultural participation remains high, but over time the positive effect of
the middle age groups and people aged 65-74 also strengthens and remains significantly
higher than that of people aged 75 and older (Figure 4.3).
From a spatial point of view, positive effects of out-of-home enjoyment are
maintained strong among those living in the macro areas of the North-Central compared to
the South. Ana- logo trend for those who live in the central and suburban municipalities of
the metropolitan area and large municipalities with more than 50 thousand inhabitants
who, compared to those who live in small municipalities with up to 10 thousand
inhabitants, maintain positive and higher effects of out-of-home cultural participation
over time.
Finally, with regard to individual socioeconomic status, the weight exerted by
educational credentials remains high, which is the main determinant toward out-of-home
cultural participation. Those with medium or high educational qualifications always have
greater positive effects toward fruition than those with no more than a high school
diploma. Increasing over time, however, is the positive effect of medium educational
qualifications, while the effect of higher educational credentials decreases.
Possession of good household economic resources also increases the po- sititive
effects toward cultural participation outside the home: those who report excellent or
adequate economic resources always have higher values than those with poor or
insufficient economic resources.
related to out-of-home cultural participation refer to activities carried out in the last twelve months prior to the
interview, manage to capture the fruition related to the period between 2019 and 2020. This explains why the
recorded decline in participation, while high, is smaller than would have been observed with reference to
participation referring only to 2020 (especially from March 2020 onward). Data from the 2021 survey
(conducted in April-May 2021) will be able to give a measure of the total reduction recorded in terms of cultural
participation during the period March 2020-March 2021.
13 The following independent variables were considered in the models: gender, age, geographic distribution, type of
municipality of residence, highest educational qualification attained, and rating of household economic resources.
Figure 4.3 - People aged 25 and older who engaged in two or more cultural participation activities outside the home in the past twelve
months
preceding the interview. Years 2000, 2010, 2019 and 2020 (logistic regression models, average marginal effects comparison)
2000 2010 2019 2020
-0,05 0,05 0,15 0,25 0,35 0,45 0,55
GENRE
(a)
(a)
Women vs. Men
AGE CLASS.
25-34 years vs. 75

and +
35-44 years vs. 75

and +
45-54 years old vs.

75 and +
55-64 years old vs.

75 and +
65-74 years vs. 75
and + GEOGRAPHIC
BREAKDOWN.
Northeast vs.
(a)
South Northwest
MUNICIPAL TYPOLOGY
vs. South Central
Municipalities center metropolitan area vs Up to 10,000
vs.
population Periphery metropolitan area vs Up to
Islands vs. (a)
10,000 population
From 10,001 South
to 50,000 inhabitants vs Up to 10,000 (a)
abitant
50,001 population and above vs Up to 10,000

population
CERTIFICATE
Bachelor's degree or more vs. Up to
High School Diploma vs. Up to
Middle School Diploma
ECONOMIC RESOURCES.
Excellent-Adequate vs Poor-Insufficient

4.3 Live performances: going to the theater or attending a concert

Live events as of March 2020 faced a profound period of crisis given the inability to
keep theaters, concert halls, and all venues open to the public. Before we get to 2020, it
is possible to trace on the timeline various periods of expansion and crisis that have
affected these forms of live performance. In particular, the analysis of the last twenty
years roughly highlights two distinct moments.
The first moment is the period 2000-2010 in which it is possible to observe an almost
continuous growth in the enjoyment of live performances (passing
from 30.2 percent in 2000 to 36.1 percent in 2010) and which sees an increase in
participation especially of women who, after catching up with men in 2005- 2008, already
as of 2009 surpass them albeit by a small margin (women 35 percent; men 34.2
percent).
Between 2011 and 2019 the trend is gradually decreasing until it reaches its lowest
share of participation in live performances in 2013 (the overall average is 30.1 percent).
Then, starting in 2014, a recovery began to be observed, almost continuous until 2019
when we stand at 33.3 percent, which, however, mainly affected women who gradually
detached themselves from men in terms of frequency of attendance at live performances,
maintaining a positive gap of about +2.5 percentage points from 2017 onward (Figure
4.4).
Figure 4.4 - People aged 6 and older who went to attend at least one live performance (theater performance, classical
music concert, other type of concert) in the last twelve months prior to the interview by gender. Years
2000-2020 (percentage values)
Masch Femm Males and Females
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
The year 2020 marks the lowest point of participation in live events with the share
of users dropping to 27.6 percent, a level this low had not been reached in the past
two decades.
Analyzing the trends of the different forms of live performances considered, we
observe differentiated trends both by type of performance and genre. Theater and
concerts of music other than classical music (rock, jazz, pop, and so on) are generally
the most enjoyed, with levels standing at 20.3 percent and 20.2 percent in 2019,
respectively, and dropping to 15.7 percent and 17 percent in 2020. This is followed by
classical music concerts, which reach 9.9 percent of viewers in 2019 and dropped to
7.6 percent in 2020 (Figure 4.6).
For the three types of live shows considered, the frequency of attendance is generally
between one and three times in a year. More than 8 out of 10 people, in fact, report
attending these types of shows with this annual frequency. Between 2019 and 2020,
an increase in the lowest frequency of attendance is observed for both theater and
concerts of music other than classical music; this trend mainly affects women, while for
men the frequencies of attendance recorded in 2019 are maintained (Figure 4.5).
Figure 4.5 - Attendees aged 6 and older of theater performances, classical music concerts, or other type of
concert by
Frequency with which they attended in the last 12 months prior to the interview and gender. Years 2019
and
3t42tpd2ot 3t42tpd2ot 3t42tpd2ot
54
24 2,5 25 2,8 27 27 4845 47 5553 27 23 25 30 27 28
13,7 16,7 15,4 12,5 13,3 12,9 15 5 14 14 8 15 0 11,9 13 4

16,5 15, 15 8 12 8 14,9
17 3
83,9 80,8 82, 84,8 84,0 84,3 83 6 82 7 85,5 83 8

78,6 80,4 79 6 89 79,7 89 82 0
77 2
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
M
20 9 2020 20 9 2020 20 9 2020
Theate Concert of classical music Altr concert d usic

r
Over time, in general, the double track already observed is confirmed for all three
types of entertainment, with an increase between 2000 and 2010 and a subsequent
decrease in the following decade, only partially recovered from 2014 onward and
completely nullified in 2020. It can be seen that theater is of peculiar interest to women
throughout the period, with an almost constant female-male gap throughout the two
decades analyzed (moving in a range of +3 to +5 percentage points).
For classical music concerts, on the other hand, an ab- lutely similar situation is
observed in the trend of both men and women. Finally, for the other types of concerts, a
higher share of men has been observed for a long time, but a strong recovery of women
especially since 2014, until they align perfectly with men during 2019 and 2020 (Figure
4.6).
Figure 4.6 - People aged 6 and older who went to attend at least one live performance (theater performance, classical music concert, other
type of concert) in the last twelve months prior to the interview by gender. Years 2000-2020 (percentage values)
Masch Fem ne Males and
Females
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
0
2000
2002
2003
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2000
2002
2003
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2000
2002
2003
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
200
201
200
201
200
201
Theate Classical music concerts Other music concerts

r
The trend in the life cycle generally sees live performances being enjoyed more by younger
people, although differences can be shown between the different forms of entertainment
considered. Theater performances reach a high number of viewers especially among young
people up to age 19 and then decline in the middle age groups, rise again thereafter from
age 45 and decrease among the population aged sixty-five and over. A strong growth in theater
attendance among children and youth aged 6-14 years is reported in the decade 2000-2010,
with peaks of more than 10 percentage points of increase. This increase has also been maintained
Figure 4.7 - People aged 6 years and older who went to attend at least one live performance (theater performance, classical music concert, other type of
concert) in the last twelve months prior to the interview by age group. Years 2000, 2010, 2019 and 2020 (percentage values)
2000 2010 2019 2020
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
6-10 11-14 15-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-59 60-64 65-74 75 and
above
Live performance
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
0
more
75 and
6-10
11-14
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
more
75 and
6-10
11-14
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
more
75 and
6-10
11-14
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
T tro C rti d ca a ca A tri rti d ca
in the following decade and up to 2019, while in the 2020s a decrease was observed that
brought fruition values back to the levels of the beginning of the new millennium (Figure
4.7). In this increasing trend among younger people, school programs most likely contributed.
awareness of theater14 and also the spread of theater classes for younger children that have
increased interest in this art form.
Strong increases between 2000 and 2010 also among the 55-74-year-old
population, which cre- scied by more than 9 percentage points in this decade. Advances
here, too, were maintained until 2019 and were partly, but not entirely, lost in 2020.
The growth in this case should undoubtedly be traced to the spread of active aging
related to better living conditions of new generations of elderly people together with
the growth in terms of cultural capital achieved by younger elderly people compared
to the elderly of previous generations.
Classical music concerts, although affecting a smaller number of people (about 10
percent in 2019 and 7.6 percent in 2020), follow a similar age trend to theater
performances, with a higher share of users especially among children and young
people up to 34 years old, a decrease in subsequent age groups, and a new increase
among the 45-64 year old population. Again, the lowest levels are observed among the
population over seventy-four, although over time a significant increase can be observed
in this age group as well. Interesting is the increase in classical music concert-goers from
the new millennium among children and young people aged 6-17 years, rising from 6.4
percent to 8.7 percent in the period 2000-2010 and remaining at this level until 2019 (9.2
percent). Awareness-raising projects toward classical music organized in schools15 have
presumably had positive effects among the youngest, although they still remain a niche
sector.
Finally, as for the other types of music concerts, it is confirmed in all
the twenty-year period considered a gradually increasing trend in the fruition going from
the age fa- ces of the youngest 6-10 years old to the youngest 20-24 years old who always
maintain the peak of spectators (until 2019, more than 4 out of 10 young people in this
age group have attended in the year at least one concert of this type), while already in the
following age groups the shares of those who attend these types of concerts decrease
until they reach the lowest levels among the population over seventy-four years old. It
should be noted, however, that in the face of this life-cycle-related trend whereby young
people are more accustomed to attending these types of concerts, a growth in spectators
is observed over time, especially among children and young adults aged 6-14 (who grow
by about 3 percentage points and percentages between 2000 and 2019), but especially
among people aged 45-64, who increase by about 8 percentage points over the period
under consideration, an increase of more than 80 percent.
It should be emphasized that there is a strong association between the habit for a
child and a youth to go to a live show and the habit for parents to enjoy these types of
shows. On the one hand, in fact, younger children are certainly more likely to enjoy these
shows when they live in a family environment where there is interest in the enjoyment of
such events, and on the other hand, in the family they will learn interests and habits of
behavior that they will most likely continue to cultivate as adults. Analyzing the data for
2019 shows that it is 30.7 percent the share of children and young people aged 6-18 who
have attended a live show in the past year when neither parent had this habit, while it
rises to 75.6 percent when both parents went to attend such events (with a ratio of
about 1 to 2.5) (Figure 4.8).
14 https://www.miur.gov.it/teatro-e-didattica.
15 https://www.miur.gov.it/web/guest/comitato-musica.
These power relationships are maintained for all three forms of live performances
analyzed and are most pronounced for classical music concerts: in fact, only one out of
seven children whose parents do not have this enjoyment habit attended classical music
concerts. What has been observed is also maintained in 2020, although reductions in the
number of spectators related to the restrictions on access to live events due to the
spread of the pandemic and which have already been observed are observed for all
target populations.
Figure 4.8 - Children and youth aged 6-18 years who went to attend at least one live performance (theater performance,
classical music concert, other type of concert) in the past twelve months prior to the interview by parental
enjoyment behavior of the same performances. Year 2019 (percentage values)
Sp dre a d So dr Sopd Neither p d è dr
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Children and r Children and r Children and r Children and r
gazzi who are gazzi who are gazzi who are gazzi who
comb or by teat concert d music a tr
ecanoe to rt d
mus
Over time, a fairly pronounced territorial polarization is maintained between the regions of
the North-Center, where the highest rates of enjoyment of live performances are observed, and
the regions of the South where, on the other hand, the number of spectators always remains
at lower levels. In particular, analyzing the data in relation to 2019, thus the year before the
pandemic, it is observed that the attendance rate in live shows was 34.6 percent in the North and
the Center, while it stood at 30.8 percent in the South. Between 2019 and 2020, the loss in terms
of spectators was across the country and was about -20 percent (-5.7 percentage points). The
regions that experienced the largest reductions between 2019 and 2020 were Campania (-9
percentage points), the autonomous province of Trento, Sardinia, Puglia and Marche (-8
percentage points) (Figure 4.9).
Analysis by educational qualification shows significantly higher rates of enjoyment of live
performances among people with higher educational credentials than among those who
pos- sited lower educational qualifications, with an estimated ratio for 2019 of one person
with no more than a high school diploma who attended at least one live performance
in the past year out of about four people with high educational qualifications who went.
The gap between low educational qualifications and high educational qualifications is more
amplified when considering going to theater performances or classical music concerts (the
ratio rises to one in five people) and increases for all types of performances when referring
to 2020.
Figure 4.9 - People aged 6 and older who went to attend at least one live performance (theater performance, classical
music concert, other type of concert) in the past 12 months prior to the interview by region. Years 2019
and 2020 (percentage values)
Live performances 2019 Live performances 2020 Theater 2020 Classical music concerts 2020 Other music concerts 2020
60
51,6
50
41,5
40 36,9 35,
4 35,1 34,9
34,1 33,4 33,4 33,0 32,
4 32,3 32,2 33,3
31,4 31,3 31,0 30,6 30,1
28,6
30 26,8 26,5
20
10
Inequalities by educational qualification in the case of theater performances are

highest among young adults aged 25-44 and decrease among the population aged 45
and older, while, conversely, they increase as age increases in the case of classical music
performances. Finally, no differences by age are observed in the case of other types of music
concerts, in which case the ratio of low to high titles is always 1 to 3 (Figure 4.10).
4.4 Cinema: profiles and trends in enjoyment of the seventh art

Cinema is a relatively young form of entertainment, born just over a hundred years
ago, but over time it has expanded enormously in audience and admirers. The
enchantment of the theater, the interaction between the screen and the audience, and
the emergence of the Italian and foreign star system are just a few of the elements that
characterize and have contributed to an imagery now more than a century long.
Cinema, as already noted for live performances, has also encountered great
difficulties since March 2020, when the implementing decrees16 of the state of emergency
related to the COVID-19 pandemic to contain the spread of the virus, had to make very
painful decisions such as those of closing movie theaters.
The release of a number of films with significant box office receipts in January and
February 202017 partially contained the crisis in the industry for the first half of 2020, but especially
from the second half of the year, the situation became increasingly critical18.
16 Chamber of Deputies, Study Service, 18th Legislature (ed.). 2020. Measures taken following the Coronavirus
emergency (COVID-19) for the cultural heritage sector. Rome, Italy: Chamber of Deputies.
17 Italian Society of Authors and Publishers - SIAE (ed.) (2021).
18 Ibid.
Figure 4.10 - People aged 25 years and older who went to attend at least one live performance (theater performance,
classical music concert, other type of concert) in the last twelve months prior to the interview by
educational qualification and age group. Years 2019 and 2020 (percentage values)
Teat Concertisica cla caAltro c certi d music Spett live

Year 2019
31,3
43,2 34,5
12,5
24,3
2 ,3
18,9 21,2 22,5 22,7
28 4 11,9
10,6 12 10,7
10,4 1
14 6 36,6 42,9 8,7 38,7
4,4 22,9
5,6 4,8 25 3 4,3 21,8
18 35,5
6,4 9,8 8,2 8,4
FD ploma
FD ploma Lau F D ploma Lau F D ploma Lau Lau
Lic plus License plus License plus License plus
med a med a med a
med a
24- 46-54 65 and more
oTtal
54
Year 2020
26,7
37,4 30,4
14,3
20 3
20,5
18,0
15,7 18,9
25 2 19 7
8,3
8,7
9,2 8,6
11 8 8,3 29,2 9,6 36, 7,4 32,
2 ,0 4, 17,8
4,0 13,0 3,0 2, 32,0 , 17,3
4,3 6,7 5,5 5,7
FD ploma
FD ploma Lau F D ploma Lau F D ploma Lau Lau
Lc plus License plus License plus License plus
med a med a med a
med a
24- 46-54 65 and more
oTtal
54
As for the population's movie-going habit, it is possible to observe over time, even
before the arrival of the pandemic, profound changes in the mode of enjoyment. Movie
viewing, in fact, has partially shifted from the movie theater to inside the home, first
with the advent and spread of increasingly specialized and dedicated television
channels and, later, in more recent years in conjunction with the spread of new
Internet-related technologies and the na- scence of commercial platforms dedicated to
movie viewing. It must be said, moreover, that for the cinema even today we observe a
pattern of alternating periods that changes from year to year and is measured by the
titles of films being released that make the numbers of viewers and box office receipts
recorded vary significantly.
In 2020, an estimated 45.3 percent of the population aged 6 and older (about 25
million 800 thousand people) went to the movies at least once in the past 12 months.
Among them, most (30.7 percent) had occasional attendance (1 to 3 times in a year), 9.5
percent went more regularly (4 to 6 times), and only 5.1 percent had more frequent
attendance (7 or more times in a year). As an effect of the pan-
current demographic, compared to 2019, the share of moviegoers who went at least once in
the last year significantly decreased (- 3.2 percentage points), However, especially the share of
those who went to the cinema 4 or more times decreased (-3.5 percentage points), while the
share of those who went more occasionally (1-3 times) remained stable (Figure 4.11).
Figure 4.11 - People aged 6 years and older who went to the movies in the last twelve months prior to the interview by
frequency with which they went and gender. Years 2019 and 2020 (percentage values)
But 1-3 4-6 times 7-12 more than 12

times
25 26 times 1,7 times 1,7
100
47 48 2,5 1,7 3,4
90 1 ,2 10,5 9,8 9,5
4,8 3
80 10,8 9,3
70 30,9 30,5 30,7
3 ,0 29,9 30,4
60
50
40
30 52,4 53,3 52,9
49,1 50,6 49,8
20
10
0
Masch emmine Males Masch emmine Males
and and
1029 Females 2020 Females
Analyzing the trend of the last twenty years, it is possible to observe between 2000
and 2011 a growth in the habit of going to the cinema at least once a year (which
increased from 44.6 percent to 53.8 percent), while, the next two years saw a period of
decrease and then again a slight recovery starting in 2014, which stopped already
starting in 2017. Trends in more recent years highlight the growing trend of an
increasingly occasional mode of going to the cinema. While there has been a gradual
slight increase since 2012 in the share of people who went to the cinema 1-3 times in a
year, there has been a gradual sharp decrease in the number of moviegoers who went
there on a medium-to-high frequency basis, and between 2011 (the year of the peak in
the number of cinema-goers in the last twenty years) and 2020, the number of
moviegoers decreased by 46.5 percent (-12.7 percentage points). Undoubtedly this
trend was influenced by the economic crisis situation, which from 2012/2013 onward
was heavily felt on the more general enjoyment of shows outside the home. On the
other hand, in more recent years there has also been a gradual shift from watching
movies at the cinema to watching them on television on specialized channels or on
the Internet, including through dedicated commercial platforms. Most likely, cinema
regulars have continued to frequent theaters, but to some extent have replaced outdoor
viewing with indoor viewing, while occasional movie-goers have stopped attending
theaters in favor of home viewing of movies.
Gender analysis shows that over the past few years, a reduction has been observed.
zione in the share of spectators of both genders. However, the reduction has been
much more pronounced for men, who have lost about 20 percent of viewers over the
past decade, while the decline among women has been smaller (-8 percent). This di-
verse trend has greatly reduced the gender gap and progressively the differential
man-woman has almost completely closed by standing at -0.7 percentage points in

2020 (Figure 4.12).
Figure 4.12 - People aged 6 years and older who went to the movies at least in the past twelve months prior to the
interview
once gone.
Have per gender
Years and people (percentage
2000-2020 aged 6 yearsvalues)
and older who went to the cinema by frequency with which
they there
4 or more 1-3 times Males at least 1 time Females at least 1 time
times
60
50
40 25 5 26 3 26 5
25 5 26 25 5 25 2 26 4 25 3 27 2 30 3
26 0 27 7 28 6 30
24 0 26 8 3 30 4
30 30 7
20
23 9 23 5 25 2 23 4 23 7 23 8 24 3 26 0 27 3
26 22 8 20 29
0 20 6 20 3 20 19 5 17 7 18
14 6
0
2000 200 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20 0 2020 2 20 3 20 4 20 5 20 6 20 7 20 8 20 9 2020
An analysis of the trend of cinema-going over the life cycle shows higher rates of
cinema-going among younger people and gradually decreasing in the adult age groups,
reaching the lowest levels among the population over seventy-four years old. The
temporal analysis shows that between 2000 and 2010 the highest increases were
observed for both genders especially among children and youth aged 6-14 (with an
increase of about 15 percentage points) and among adults aged 45-64 (with an increase
of cica 13 percentage points), stable, however, the trend in the other age groups.
Subsequently between 2010 and 2019, a sustained decrease (amounting to about 5
percentage points) was observed for men starting with the 11-14 year olds class and
up to the 50-59 year olds class, while for women a spectator increase was observed in
the tails of the distribution (+ 4.1 percentage points among 6-10 year olds and plus 3
percentage points among women aged 65 and older) while only a slight decrease in the
other age groups. Between 2019 and 2020, of course, there is a general decrease in the
number of viewers in all age groups, with the only exception of the 60-and-over
population for which the share of viewers of both sexes remains fairly in line with the
previous year (Figure 4.13). Analysis over time of the frequency of viewership by age
shows that between 2000 and 2010 among young people of both sexes the lowest
levels were observed in the lowest frequencies of viewership (1 to 3 times in a year)
and vice versa the trend toward medium to high viewership, while in the adult and
elderly age groups the trends op-
posts (Figure 4.14).
Figure 4.13 - People aged 6 years and older who went to the movies at least once in the past twelve months prior to
the interview by gender and age group. Years 2000, 2010, 2019 and 2020 (percentage values)
2000 20 0 20 9 2020
100
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
6- 0 1 4 15 9 20 24 25 34 35 44 45 54 55 59 60 64 65 74 75 6- 0 1 4 15 9 20 24 25 34 35 44 45 54 55 59 60 64 65 74 75
plus plus
M F
Figure 4.14 - People aged 6 years and older who went to the movies in the last twelve months prior to the interview by frequency with which
they went, gender and age group. Years 2000, 2010, 2019 and 2020 (percentage values)
2000 2010 2019 2020
1-3
60 times
50
40
30
20
10
0
6-10
6-10
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
1 -14
1 -14
75 pi
75 pi
Masch Femm n
4 or more t
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
6-10 1 -14 15-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-59 60-64 65-74 75 6-10 1 -14 15-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-59 60-64 65-74 75
pi pi
Masch Femm n

This trend changed in the following decade and teens increased between 2010 and
2019 the share of lower frequencies of fruition at the expense of higher frequencies, while
among the adult and elderly population a greater stability was observed in frequencies of
fruition that were already at lower levels in the previous decade.
4.5 Movie viewing: the competition of television and the Internet before and during the
pandemic from COVID-19
The cinema, while the environment of choice for viewing a film, is certainly not the only
option. As already noted, for several years now it has had to deal with competition from,
first, generalist television, then from pay channels (many of which are dedicated precisely to
the viewing of films and television series) and, more recently, from the Internet, which, with
the vast possibilities of offering streaming or downloading of films, television series
and, more generally, videos, has completely changed the times, places and ways of enjoying
these types of shows and the relationship of the public with cinema projection19 20.
Analyzing the data for 2020, in contrast to a decrease in the number of people who
say they have gone to the movies and, specifically, those who have gone at least four
times in the past year (from 18.1 percent in 2019 to 14.6 percent in 2020), there is a
significant increase in the share of the population who have seen, with at least weekly
frequency, movies on television, via the Internet or in other modes (dvd, videotapes),
reaching 69.8 percent in 2020 (it was 65.1 percent in 2019) (Figure 4.15).
Figure 4.15 - People aged 6 years and older who in the last twelve months prior to the interview saw movies on
television, on the Internet on DVD or otherwise, and people who went to the movies at least once and at
least 4 times. Years 2014-2020 (percentage values)
F m alm o 1ta a C (minus one vo ta in no) C (4 or more times in a a o )

sett
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
19 Istat (2018).
20 Nassimbeni (2021).
Between 2014 and 2020, the upward trend in movie viewing away from theaters
grew in parallel with the decline in theatrical viewing, and this was much more
pronounced at the turn of 2019 and 2020 when the closure of movie theaters did not
allow a choice between the two channels of enjoyment. This increase was undoubtedly
impacted by the growth in the habit of watching movies on television, but especially of
those who watch them via the Internet, and that is likely to increase in the coming
years.
Life-cycle analysis shows high levels in at least weekly movie viewing in all age
groups, with shares as of 2019 consistently around or above 60 percent for the entire
population. Over time, 11- to 24-year-olds and 55- to 74-year-olds are confirmed as the
population groups that most often report watching movies at least weekly, although
presumably with differences with respect to channel of enjoyment and a greater
predilection of younger people toward downloading or streaming movies via the
Internet.
Analyzing in the time trend from 2014 to 2020, there is a growth in movie viewing for
all age groups, with larger increases especially among 6-10 year olds, who increase from 53.4
percent to 71.4 percent (+18 percentage points) between 2014 and 2020. In all age groups,
however, the increases are still over 9 percentage points and remain high even among
the population aged 75 and older. Of note between 2019 and 2020 is the strong growth
in movie viewing in the 15-19 age group, which had been stable between 2014 and
2019, but which increases from 66.8 percent to 76.1 percent during the last two-year
period analyzed (Figure 4.16).
Figure 4.16 - People aged 6 years and older who, in the last twelve months prior to the interview, watched movies on
television, via the Internet or in other ways (dvd, videotapes) at least weekly by age group. Years 2014, 2019,
and 2020 (percentage values)
20 4 20 9 2020
70
60
50
40
30
20
0
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
6- 0
11- 4
15- 9
75 p
Wanting to analyze the determinants toward the habit of going to the movies and
enjoying movie viewing, logistic regression models were performed and the following was
evaluated the significance of the different sociodemographic and spatial varabili- ties
considered21
toward the different fruitions analyzed (cinema and film viewing). In addition,
the average marginal effects were also calculated for the two survey years considered
(2019 and 2020), to assess how much the impact of the different determinants changed
over the last two years toward the habit of going to the cinema or enjoying movies outside
of movie theaters (Figure 4.17 and Figure 4.18).
The analysis of the results shows that, net of the weight exerted by the other so-
ciodemographic variables considered, no significant gender differences are observed for the
habit of going to the cinema and the habit of enjoying movies (on television, on the Internet,
or in other modalities). For both the habit of going to the cinema and the habit of watching
movies, moreover, a much higher positive effect is confirmed for both 2019 and 2020
among 25-34 year olds than among people aged 75 and older, but while for the cinema
this effect decreases in 2020, vice versa it increases for watching movies. In addition, while
for cinema the positive effects decrease in both years as age increases, for movies the
observations observed in the descriptive analyses are confirmed, and the greatest positive
effects are observed not only among 25-34 year olds but also among 55-74 year olds and
less so among the 35-54 year old population.
From a spatial perspective, higher positive effects toward going to the movies are
observed among those living in the North-Central macro areas than in the South, while
opposite trends are observed for watching movies (on television on the Internet, etc.).
In terms of both cinema and movie watching (on TV on the Internet, etc.), the
positive effect of enjoying movies is also higher among those who live in central and
suburban municipalities of the metropolitan area and large municipalities with more
than 50 thousand inhabitants than those who live in small municipalities with up to 10
thousand inhabitants.
For cinema, the weight exerted by high educational credentials remains high, which
together with age are the main determinants toward movie-going. Those who have a
middle or high educational qualification have greater positive effects toward the habit
of going to the cinema than those who have at most a middle school diploma. Opposite
trend, on the other hand with regard to movie viewing: in this case, negative effects are
observed among those with medium to high educational qualifications compared to
those with at most a middle school degree. Possession of good household economic
resources also increases positive effects toward movie-going and similarly for movie
watching (on TV, Internet or otherwise).
Finally, a positive association is observed between the habit of going to the movies
and watching movies (on television, on the Internet, or otherwise): in fact, po- sititive
effects are observed in going to the movies among those who are in the habit of
watching movies, particularly on at least a weekly basis.
Similarly, there are positive effects of watching movies among those who are in the
habit of going to the movies, especially at a medium to high frequency (4 or more
times in a year).
21 The following independent variables were considered in the models: gender, age, geographic breakdown and type of
municipality of residence, highest educational qualification attained, and rating of household economic resources. In
addition, in the model to measure the likelihood of going to the movies, the enjoyment of movies in other modes (on
television, on the Internet, via dvd or videotapes, etc.) was also considered, while in the model to measure the likelihood of
enjoying movies on television and on the Internet, the habit of going to the movies was also considered.
Figure 4.17 - People aged 25 and older who went to the movies 4 times or more in the past 12 months prior to the
interview. Years 2019 and 2020 (logistic regression models, average marginal effects comparison)
20 9 2020
0 08 0 06 0 04 0 02 0 0 02 0 04 0 06 0 08 0 02 04 06 08
GENRE
()
Donn Men ()
AGE CLASS.
25 34 75 +
35 44 75 +
45 54 75 +
55 64 75 +
65 74 75 +
R PARTIZ ON GEOGRAPH Y
Ndt Sd
Nd t Sd
Ct Sd
()
Sd ()
T POLOG A MUNICIPAL
Community nt t opo t F 0 000 b t nt
Pfr t opo t F 0 000 b t t
D 10 00 50 000 b t F 0 000 b t t
50 00 b t t p more F 10 000 b t t
F LM ( TV, INTERNET DVD)
Vdf t N li d
Vdfa t tt N d
T TOLO D STUDY
L p plus F l d
Dp F L d
R SORSE ECONOM THAT
Oct Ad gu t S ffc e t

(a) Coefficient not statistically significant.
Figure 4.18 - People 25 years of age and older who in the past twelve months prior to the interview have watched
movies on television, through the Internet or in other modes (dvd, videotapes) at least weekly. Years 2019
and 2020 (logistic regression models, average marginal effects comparison)
2019 2020
0 08 0 06 0 04 0 02 0 0 02 0 04 0 06 0 08 0 02 04 06 08
GENRE
(a)
D U (a)
CLASS D ETA
25 34 75
35 44 75
45 54 75
55 64 75
65 74 75
R PART Z ONE GEOGRAPHICAL
NdtSd
N dt South
C tSouth South
T POLOGY MUNICIPAL
C tt po t
P ft op t F10 000 b t t
D 10 00 50 000 b t F10 000 b t t
F10 000 b t t
50 00 b t t p more F10 000 ab t t
C NEMA
3 t But
4 more tM T TOLL
D STUD O
Lap ù F L d
D pF L d R ECONOMIC
Sources.
Oct Ad guat Scarce ff t

4.6 Participation in film, theater and dance festivals and associations: from physical to
virtual or mixed mode parterre
In recent years, in addition to the habit of physically going to the cinema or
attending live theater, dance or concert performances, a whole series of events and
manifestations related to these types of performances have become widespread and have
created an inducement capable of conveying a large number of people of various ages.
Among these events are the various film, theater and literature festivals and events
organized throughout the year in various parts of the country and which, in many cases,
have become a repeated annual fixture capable of promoting and introducing places
on our peninsula to an ever-increasing number of people. In other cases, these are
theater associations, cineclubs and cineforums that operate at the local level and that,
although they often concern a circle that is in many cases narrow or niche, are able to
express great vitality and interest in these art forms.22
From the beginning of 2020 to the present, in addition to suddenly stopping, in a
continuous stop-and-go, live performances and film viewing at the cinema, these events
have also had considerable difficulty in continuing their activities. In many cases the
ongoing situation has meant permanent suspension, in other cases some of these shows
and events have managed to continue their activities. Those who were able to have
offered during periods of total closure an online version of these events, and in more
recent times, when reopenings have been able to take place, they have still ensured a live
and online mix version to allow as many viewers and interested parties as possible to
continue to follow them either in attendance or remotely.
Taking into consideration the latest available data23 it is possible to estimate that
prior to the COVID-19 pandemic about 4 million 750 thousand people aged 14 years
and older had participated in film, theater and dance events, festivals and associations
(accounting for 9 percent of the population in this age group) (Figure 4.19).
Figure 4.19 - People aged 14 and older who attended film, theater, and dance festivals or attended film
clubs/cineforums or theater or dance associations by gender. Year 2015 (percentage values)
M F Males and Females
2
0
90
8
66
6
48
10 3
4 76 77
54 53
2 42
0
C b/C f A dTt d Cn b f a d d
d / tt d Ft d t t /d
Ft d tt
Source: Istat, Citizens and Leisure Survey.
22 Solimine, Zanchini (2020).

23 Reference is made to data released through the Istat survey "Citizens and Leisure" (2015): https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/5538.
Among them, 2.5 million people had attended film, theater or dance festivals
(accounting for 4.8 percent of the population) and 3.4 million had participated in
theater/dance associations or attended film clubs/cineclubs (accounting for 6.6 percent of
the population), with a higher share of women than men (10.3 percent versus 7.6
percent). Higher shares were reported especially among 14-24 year olds (15.9 percent)
and young adults aged 25-44 (10.4 percent).
Of course, it can be assumed that during the period of the still ongoing pandemic
many people will have continued to follow these events in the in-person forms where
possible, and others will have continued to follow them on a virtual parterre. Certainly
the possibility of hybrid fruition may have facilitated more people to find the most
congenial way to continue to follow these events and not have to give them up. Most
likely, even in the post-pandemic future, the mixed mode will become the most popular
model of fruition24.
4.7 The rediscovery of hobbies and DIY during Phase 1 of the COVID-19 emergency.
The lockdown of phase 1 of the COVID-19 pandemic certainly represented a
moment of particular change that, between March and April 2020, literally wreaked
havoc on citizens' daily lives. The total or partial obligation to stay at home and the
closure of businesses, gyms, cultural venues, and so on had a major impact on people's
day and the way they spend their time. Among the effects it has produced has been an
increase in loisir activities and cultural participation carried out within the home. In this
context, individuals have been able to be prosumers25 more than ever before, that is, not only
consumers but also producers of the creative activities they engage in, and the hobbies
and interests cultivated by each person have become relevant in redefining their days in
the lockdown period.
Data from the Istat Survey "The Diary of Italians at the Time of COVID-19 - I wave"
(carried out in April 2020)26 allow us to highlight the different hobbies and leisure activities
performed by various population groups. Analyzing the available information shows that
about one in five people during the days in lockdown said they engaged in hobbies and
leisure activities such as DIY, sewing, playing games, listening to music, ecce- tion (21.4
percent), with overlapping values between men and women in almost all age groups,
with the exception of the population aged 65 and older where a clearly higher value was
observed among women (25.8 percent versus 13 percent of men). More than half of the
people were able to do so by spending more time on it and thus making positive use of the
effects of the restrictions imposed in Step 1.
Regarding some specific hobbies and leisure activities, it emerges that forced per-
manence in the home has incentivized a substantial share of the population to spend
much of their leisure time engaging in activities related to home maintenance, baking
bread, pizza or cakes, board games, and practicing artistic activities such as painting,
singing, and writing.
24 https://www.eventgarde.it/il-futuro-degli-eventi-e-ibrido/.
25 Solimine, Zanchini (2020).
26 "The Diary of Italians at the Time of COVID-19 - I wave" survey: https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/241013.
Fifty-three percent of the population aged 18 and older during the lockdown
period engaged in baking bread, pizza, cakes, more women (69.6 percent) but men were
not outdone either (37.3 percent). The frequency with which this activity was done was
predominantly at least once a week (42.1 percent compared to the tota- le of which 54.4
percent were women and 28.9 percent were men) (Figure 4.20).
Figure 4.20 - People aged 18 years and older by some leisure activities they engaged in in Phase 1 of COVID-19
health emergency by gender. April 2020 (percentage values)
Masch F Males and
Females
70
60
50
40
30
20
0
0
P p
do c nf
Co f ttur
me tar
M t on G din gg /
C d t
C to//R ogg tt /
gliob d
Forty-one percent of the population, on the other hand, also took care of home
maintenance with some assiduity since 22.3 percent did so at least weekly while nearly
one-third devoted themselves to gardening or landscaping (at least weekly for 27
percent); 17.3 percent, on the other hand, sewed, embroidered or knitted (10.9 percent
with at least weekly frequency) and 12.8 percent devoted themselves to restoring
furniture or household objects, practicing this activity in 5.4 percent of cases with at least
weekly frequency.
Men were more active in activities attributable to the DIY sphere, such as restoring
furniture or household items (15.9 percent versus 10 percent of women) or maintenance
work in the home (49.7 percent versus 33 percent of women). Women, on the other
hand, were more involved in tailoring/embroidery/knitting activities (28.7 percent versus
4.9 percent of men). In contrast, no gender differences were observed for garden or
vegetable care.
When considering at least weekly frequency of the activities practiced, an increase
of at least 50 percent is observed for all of them compared to 2015. With the exception of
sewing and embroidery, which remained constant.
At the spatial level, baking and cake/jam making and sewing activities were mainly
chosen by people residing in the South (Area 3); conversely, home maintenance and
gardening activities had higher adherence in the Red Zone and Area 227.
During the lockdown period, the population was also often engaged in creative
leisure activities related to music (singing, playing music, listening to music), fine arts
(drawing, painting sculpture), writing, and making handicrafts or costume jewelry.
27 In the survey The Diary of Italians at the Time of COVID-19 I wave, regions were classified into three areas: red
zone (Area 1): Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Marche; Area 2: other regions in the Center-
North (Liguria, Valle d'Aosta, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige, Tuscany, Lazio and Umbria); Area 3:
Mezzogiorno (Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily and Sardinia).
Such activities involved 42.2 percent of the population aged 18 and older. Among the
creative type acts, singing involved the largest share of people (24.6 percent),
especially women (27.9 percent vs. 21.1 percent) (Figure 4.21).
Figure 4.21 - People aged 18 and older by some leisure activities they engaged in in Step 1
COVID-19 health emergency by gender. April 2020 (percentage values)
Masch F Males and Females
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Ca t S As tp in dD gn eOgg tt d Written (Diar
sica t vo (Web d ping art already b og
at
art pt lpire b giott p esie,ra t
graphics) or g
Looking at the frequency of these recreational activities at least weekly, a

significant increase is observed compared to 201528. For singing, for example, the share of
those who said they sang at least weekly was 2.6 percent, while in the lockdown period it
reached 15.9 percent.
Forty-five percent of the population aged 18 and older played board games or other
types of games during the days of Phase 1 health emergency. Card games and video games
were found to be the favorites. Gender differences were observed with higher values among
men only for video games (25.9 percent versus 13.5 percent) and games with friends on
the Internet (18.7 percent versus 11.8 percent), but not for the other types (Figure 4.22).
Figure 4.22 - People aged 18 and older by some leisure activities they engaged in in Step 1
COVID-19 health emergency by gender. April 2020 (percentage values)
M F mm Males and
40 Females
35
30
25
20
5
0
5
0
Gio h d rt Gohd age Videoga Gio h te et Pokalt
me play
via ntt pag
ndo
/tt d
28 Reference is made to data released through the Istat survey "Citizens and Leisure" (2015): https://www.istat.it/it/
archive/5538.
Games involving Internet betting affected 3.8 percent of people, most of whom
gambled less than weekly; however, about 560 thousand individuals (or 1.1 percent of
the population) gambled daily or at least weekly.
They tended to report in the territory that they occupied their time with one or
more types of game mostly residents in the South (52.9 percent), less so those in the
Red Zone and other regions of the North Central (37.1 percent).
4.8 Considerations final

Participation in live performances and cultural events along with more ama- torial
practices of entertainment, such as art forms and hobbies of different kinds, represent very
important modes of expression to which more and more segments of the popul- tion
have been devoted over time.
Over the past twenty years, however, the relationship of audiences and admirers to
cultural participation has changed greatly. This has undoubtedly been influenced by the
spread of new digital technologies connected to the Internet, which have totally modi- fied
cultural offerings from more traditional offerings, affecting the forms and modes of
participation.
On the other hand, the various socio-economic conjunctures that have swept
through our country already since 2012 have contributed greatly to changing (and
sometimes even reducing) ways and possibilities by which people have been able to
hold cultural participation events outside the home. In particular, as of March 2020,
the spread of the pandemic came to a resounding halt due to restrictive measures to
combat it, which, in the case of cultural participation, took the form of the closure of
most cultural venues for long months.
During the most difficult phases of the pandemic indoor forms conveyed in a
particular way by Ict tools had a strong impetus and induced a shift on the parterre virtua-
le of most forms of cultural enjoyment. Theatrical performances, exhibitions, concerts,
archaeological sites, and cultural venues virtually "opened" to the public through the
possibilities offered by the network and had to perform an operation of adaptation and
transformation to the new context that was neither simple nor trivial.
Although today we are at a very different time than in the early months of the
pandemic and by now almost entirely cultural venues have been able to reopen their
doors to the public, the future still seems uncertain and it is difficult to imagine what
will happen in the cultural landscape. Perhaps, borrowing an expression that originated
with reference to technological infrastructures, we can imagine that for culture, too,
the future will be "hybrid," and forms and modes experienced live and in virtual mode
will continue t o coexist and be mixed together to meet the diverse needs of culture
users.
In social surveys that aim to detect emerging cultural fruition behaviors among the
population, it will be important that we focus on new forms of participation so as to
gradually decode the changes taking place more and more comprehensively.
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Solimine, G., and G. Zanchini. 2020. Horizontal culture. Bari, Italy: Editori Laterza.
95
5. HOW THE INTERNET CHANGES LEISURE TIME1
5.1 Introduction
Over the past three decades, the spread of the Internet has accomplished a real
revolution in people's lives, bringing about changes in customs and lifestyles, offering
new modes of communication and new possibilities for leisure and cultural participation.
Especially since the end of the 1990s, the spread of the Internet has been di-
rompant, with constant shares of annual increase and population groups in which the
overall audience has gradually been reached more and more, to the point of sa- tion in
some cases. There has been no shortage of disparities in the spread of access and even
today, the North-South territorial divide, along with strong differences in generation,
gender and related to educational credentials characterize the spread of the Internet in
our country.
All of this was already outlined before 2020, but as the COVID-19 pandemic began
to spread and people's lives had to fall back within the home and indoor sphere, the
Internet was a great opportunity and an ally that could, for example, keep people
connected to each other despite the physical distancing imposed by the restrictions in
place or create opportunities for work, study, and leisure.
In March 2020, with the lockdown of phase 1 of the pandemic, everything has
been put to the test: culture, sports, entertainment, political and religious participation,
social relations. The home space, immediately elected as a place of work and study, has
become, thanks in part to the Internet a place of fitness, a portal to museums, a cavea
for performances, an agora for public exchange, a temple of religious participation. In a
manner that makes one rethink the metaphor of the control booth through which to
relate as "networked individuals, "2 but which not even in the most far-fetched dystopias
could have imagined being brought to bear in such a totalizing way. In the pandemic
period all venue-based activities dissolved and reconfigured around and through the
Web, starting from one's home.
5.2 Individuals in network

In 2015, according to estimates provided by Istat through the "Aspects of Daily
Life" survey3, more than one in three people (35.8 percent) had never used the Internet in
the
1 The chapter was edited and edited by Rita Fornari.

2 This metaphor was used by Raine and Wellman in 2012 to describe the model of networked individualism. Raine and
Wellman (2012).
3 In the present paper, data regarding the time series, which are useful for framing the phenomenon in a broader
scenario, come from the annual Istat survey "Aspects of Daily Life." Insights into the relationship between Internet
use and leisure time are also the result of elaborations on data from the latest Istat survey "Citizens and Leisure
Time" - Year 2015, which provides a broader information picture and allows for the hooking of online practices of
leisure time use with offline ones. Data on the effects of the Internet during COVID-19 are provided by the Survey
"Diary
life, and in 2019, just one year before the pandemic, still one in four people were
strangers to using the net. Inequality in network access, referred to in the literature as
the top-level digital divide,4 and also highlighted in studies on the phenomenon related to
our country,5 is, therefore, the first aspect that needs to be considered.
In Italy, over the course of 15 years, the share of regular users (who used the Internet
at least once a week in the three months preceding the interview) increased by about 40
percentage points, from 27.3 percent to 69 percent (about 39 million individuals aged 6
and older), with a fairly regular increase of around three percentage points a year. The
highest increase was among females (from 22.4 to 65.7 percent), narrowing the gap
with males from ten to seven percentage points (Figure 5.1).
Figure 5.1 - People aged 6 years and older who used the Internet at least once a week in the previous three months
interview by gender. Years 2006-2020 (percentage values)
Tota Males Females
80
72,5
70
60 65,7
50
40
32,5
30
20
22,4
10
27,3 29,9 33,1 37,9 43,0 45,4 47,1 50,2 53,0 55,9 59,3 61,0 64,4 66,1 69,0
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
To fully understand the use of ICT technologies, it is certainly useful to look at these
trends through generational changes. The population distributions by age group and gender
observed at four time points since 2006 show us that in the case of the Internet we need to
consider both the age effect and the period effect (Figure 5.2).
In the transition between 2006 and 2010, the age curve rose near the 11-14 and 15-19
age groups highlighting the anticipation of Internet entry by the very young (compared to
their peers in 2006 they show Internet participation shares about thirty percentage points
higher). In those same years, the Internet also grows significantly in all population groups of
youth and adults up to 44 years old (+20 percentage points).
Beginning in 2016, however, the age curve begins to change its shape: while the age
groups of teenagers and young people up to 24 years old reach shares of 85 percent or
more of Internet users, important changes begin to show up for the age groups of
adults among whom the use of
Of Italians at the time of COVID-19 " - I and II wave.
4 Di Maggio et al (2001); Van Dijk (2005).
5 Fub-Istat (2018); Istat (2018, 2019, 2020).
Internet. In this case, however, we still observe differences between males and females:
Internet use, in fact, spreads more widely and more incisively for the former, among
whom in 2016 we find shares above 50 percent up to age 60-64.
Between 2016 and 2020, this distribution is consolidated, and the share of the
Internet above 85 percent is reached by all age groups from 11 to 44 years old, and
throughout the five-year period, users for all age groups from 55 to 74 years old grow
by more than fifteen percentage points, with a concomitant narrowing of the gap
between males and females. Finally, the largest increase over the five-year period is
observed for the 6-10 year old age group (+28.4 percentage points), but exactly half of
this increase is concentrated in the transition from 2019 to 2020, probably due to the
effect of distance education.
Figure 5.2 - People aged 6 and older who used the Internet at least once a week in the previous three months
The interview by gender and age group. Years 2006, 2010, 2016 and 2020 (percentage values)
2006 20 0 20 6 2020
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
11-14
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
11-14
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
11-14
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
6-10
6-10
6-10
75 p
75 p
75 p
M F M f
If we look at the change with respect to territory, we can see how the Mezzo- day
has a much lower rate of Internet access than the Center and the North; the
differences, although attenuated over time, still remain very large: in 2020, compared
with a national average of 69 percent of individuals aged 6 years and older who used
the Internet at least once a week in the last 3 months prior to interview, the share of
users is 72.1 percent in the North, 71.6 percent in the Center, and 63.2 percent in the
South, respectively (about 9 percentage points lower than in the North-Center). In
Abruzzo, Campania, Molise, Sicily, Apulia, Calabria and Basilicata, regular Internet users
still do not reach two-thirds of the population aged 6 and older in 2020. In contrast,
Emilia Romagna and Trentino-Alto Adige are the two regions where users are nearly
three-quarters of the population (Fig.5.3).
the interview by region. Years 2006 and 2020 (percentage values)
Year 2006 Year 2020
Internet access is strongly associated with people's cultural level6 and com- bines with
the generational differences already highlighted (Figure 5.4). In fact, over the past fifteen
years, while Internet access has always shown a tendentially de- crescent distribution
moving from the young adult classes of 25-34 years old to the following classes, the di-
stributions by educational qualification show that the higher the educational qualification
possessed, the higher the access to the Internet, leading to a situation in which high
school graduates in 2020 have a lower participation rate than college graduates had
achieved in 2016, for all age groups considered (with a fluctuation around six percen- tal
points
The interview by age group and educational qualification. Years 2006, 2010, 2016 and 2020 (percentage values)
2006 2010 2016 2020
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
more
more
more
75 and
75 and
75 and
At most middle school Dolpima uaLr and more

diploma
6 As a proxi of people's cultural level, information on the highest educational qualification attained is used.
tuali of difference). Individuals with at most a high school diploma, even more
seriously, have lower participation rates in 2020 than those achieved by college graduates
even a decade earlier. Finally, with regard to college graduates, the data show that the
differences in age groups have always been smaller and that already as of 2016 there is
substantial equality of Internet access for the 25-44 age group, with a share of more
than 90 percent of regular users; in 2020, even for the age groups up to 64 years old,
online participation of at least nine out of ten individuals is observed.
Lack of access to the Internet is only partially attributable to material scarcity and is
increasingly linked to a lack of interest or skill: in 2020 among households that did not have
access to the Internet at home, slightly more than one in ten stated connection or tool costs
as a reason (12.3 percent, a share that has remained substantially stable over tem- ploy), while
nearly six in ten responded by referring to lack of Internet knowledge (59.2 percent; an increase
of as much as 17 percentage points over 2011).
Increased provision of education also seems to pose as the first step for the greater
diffusion of the Internet and is, in fact, the strategy on which non-users or older and
less educated users are being squeezed, instead placing minimal emphasis on reducing
costs and am- plishing online services 7.
Finally, the first-level gap has been partially bridged by the spread of the
smartphone, which, thanks to its more immediate usability, has fostered an increase in the
number of Internet users by disengaging them from PC use (Figure 5.5): while until 2011,
only 1 percent of users had never used a PC, in 2016 they were 9.1 percent and in 2020 as
many as 18 percent. Internet use without ever having used a pc is found princi- pally
among females, and especially in the older classes, where in 2020 a share of 43 percent is
touched among the elderly aged 75 and older (among males it never reaches 25 percent).
Figure 5.5 - People aged 6 and older who used the Internet at least once a week in the three months prior to the interview
and never used a PC (including tablet) by gender and age group. Years 2010, 2016, 2020 (percentage
values)
20 0 20 6 2020
45
40
35
30
25
20
5
0
5
0
15 19
20 24
25 34
35 44
45 54
55 59
60 64
65 74
15 19
20 24
25 34
35 44
45 54
55 59
60 64
65 74
15 19
20 24
25 34
35 44
45 54
55 59
60 64
65 74
6- 0
6- 0
6- 0
75 plus
75 plus
75 plus
1 14
1 14
1 14
M F M f
7 Fornari (2018).
5.3 The digitization of daily life

If this is the situation in network access, not much different is the situation with
regard to Internet use, i.e., the second-level gap8. Previous studies9 show how Internet users, with
respect to the degree of "digitization of daily life," are positioned on a continuum
ranging from the group of low active users, somewhat stationary on the threshold of
the first gap and who "exploit" the network for very few tasks such as messaging or
social networking (predominantly elderly people with low education level and low
professional status or housewives), to the group of users who are always connected
with the support of multiple devices and who use the Internet in every sphere of
private life and leisure (generally young, highly educated and with high professional
status). While until 2017, the former accounted for more than 30 percent of users and the
latter accounted for less than 10 percent, the situation seems to have improved in recent
years, and just in 2020, there is a sharp jump in the number of users who performed 13
or more activities online10 (17.5 percent, up 5.7 percentage points from the previous year)
(Table 5.1).
Table 5.1 - People aged 6 and older who used the Internet at least once a week in the previous three months
The interview by number of activities carried out online. Years 2015-2020 (percentages and values in thousands)
Internet users Fino to 4 activitiesFrom 5 to 8 9 to 12 13 or more
(values in thousands)
activities From activities
2015 31.999 32,0 37,1 23,2 7,7
2016 33.915 29,9 36,2 24,9 9,0
2017 34.897 32,6 34,8 24,4 8,2
2018 36.856 26,7 35,1 27,4 10,9
2019 37.793 25,7 35,1 27,4 11,8
2020 39.330 20,7 31,2 30,6 17,5
However, both the general trend and the intensification of Internet use for a large
number of activities, which occurred in 2020, is not uniform for all population groups.
There are significant generational differences that seem to trace those already
highlighted for Internet access (Figure 5.6): the share of those who engage in thirteen or
more online activities is highest among young people, peaking among 25-34 year olds
for whom in 2020 the share touches almost 30 percent (an increase of a whopping
+16.4 points compared to 2015, of which +9.6 recorded with respect to 2019 alone); the
gap between males and females is zero or often in favor of females for the youngest age
groups while it is always in favor of males and much more substantial from age 35 and
onward: in 2020 the largest difference between males and females is among those aged
60-64 (14.4 versus 6.8 percent). Even more pronounced is the gap with respect to the
educational qualification held, with respect to which the differences between college
graduates and individuals with at most a high school diploma have increased over the
course
8 van Deursen and van Dijk (2010); Ragnedda and Muschert (2013).
9 Fornari (2020).
10 Nineteen activities performed on the Internet and related to different aspects of daily life found in all years from 2015 to
2020 in the ISTAT "Aspects of Daily Life" survey questionnaire were considered: making an appointment with a doctor,
using a cloud service, sending and receiving email, instant messaging or messages on chats, blogs, forums,
making calls or video calls via the Internet, playing or downloading games, Internet banking, e-commerce,
financial services, selling goods and services online, searching for information about goods and services, searching for
health information, reading online newspapers, obtaining information from government, listening to music online,
reading or downloading books or ebooks, uploading content of one's own creation, posting political or civic opinions,
and participating in social networks.
of time and, in 2020, is highest for the 20-24 age group with a share of 44.9 percent
and reaches a ratio of almost 1 to 3 for the 25-44 age group and about 1 to 4 for the
45-59 age group (Figure 5.7). Finally, with respect to employment status, there is a
narrowing of the gap between employed and job seekers, and in 2020 the share of
those who have engaged in thirteen or more online activities is 23.9 percent among
the former and 17.9 percent among the latter.
Figure 5.6 - People aged 11 and older who used the Internet at least once a week in the three months
preceding the interview and engaged in thirteen or more online activities by gender and age group. Years
2015- 2020 (percentage values)
20 5 20 6 20 7 20 8 20 9 2020
35
30
25
20
15
10
0
11-14
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
11-14
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
11-14
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
75 p
75 p
75 p
M F M f
Figure 5.7 - People aged 15 and older who used the Internet at least once a week in the three months prior to
the interview and engaged in thirteen or more online activities by educational qualification and age group.
Years 2015-2020 (percentage values)
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
more
more
more
75 and
75 and
75 and
Fi a lic za mdeia Dolpima uaLr or more

5.4 Internet and free time

Four activities were selected to delve into leisure time Internet use in 2020: reading
online and/or downloading online books/ebooks, which involves 16.7 percent of Internet
users aged 6 and older; reading newspapers, information, magazines online, carried out
by 58.1 percent of users; enjoying television, videos, music onli- ne11, carried out by 65.5
percent of users; and shopping online, which involves 54.6 percent of Internet users
(Table 5.2).
For all four selected activities, we see that the three factors considered (ge-
neractional, cultural, and economic) are always relevant, but are delineated
differentially. The generational factor is relevant for all activities except for reading
newspapers, information and online magazines where higher shares are found among
older people than among 20-24 year olds. The latter, on the contrary, are more active
in all other areas, with values much higher than the average: 24.8 percent for digital
reading (almost fifty percent higher than the national average), 86.8 percent for music
and television, and 69.4 percent for e-commerce (about thirty percent higher than the
national average). The disadvantage of the elderly is also observed when household
type is considered: people living in households with only over-64s are much less active
than the rest of the population: digital reading drops to 12.5 percent, online music and
television enjoyment to 42 percent, and e-commerce to 38.7 percent.
The positive effect of a high cultural level for all activities is confirmed, but
with a greater emphasis on reading digitally: among college graduates, the percentage
of those who engage in this activity is 31.2 percent, while among those with at most a
high school diploma it is 8.4 percent. The effect of the cultural factor is also evident,
with the same intensity, from a household indicator such as the number of books
owned in the home: thus, for example, individuals living in households with more than
one hundred books read ebooks or download books in 25 percent of cases compared
to 7.2 percent of those living in households with no books in the home.
Finally, being employed or living in a household with at least adequate economic
resources has a consistently positive impact compared to those who are job seekers or
have low economic resources, with higher levels on all activities; specifically, among
the employed, 17.4 percent read digitally, 67.9 percent inform themselves online, 68.5
use the Internet for music and television, and 62.1 percent shop online; among
households satisfied with their economic situation, 17.8 percent read digitally, 61.2
percent inform themselves online, 67.1 use the Internet for music and television, and
57.2 percent shop online.
11 Having done at least one of the following activities: listening to music by streaming or through web radio or by
downloading; watching live or delayed streaming television from TV broadcasters (e.g., Rai or Mediaset); watching video on
demand from commercial services (e.g., Netflix, Infinity, NowTv, Amazon Prime).
Table 5.2 - People aged 6 years and older who used the Internet at least once a week in the three months prior to the
interview by some activities performed online and individual and household socio-demographic
characteristics. Year 2020 (percentage values)
Purchase or
Read or Reading Enjoyment
order goods or
Year 2020Internet users download newspapers, of TV, video,
servic
online books information, music online
es (15 years
or ebooks online
magazines and older)
Genus
Males 72,5 15,2 59,2 67,5 51,4
Females 65,7 18,3 56,9 63,5 46,7
Age classes
06-10 68,4 9,6 4,6 59,1 -
11-14 89,1 18,4 22,0 77,1 -
15-19 91,8 24,1 47,4 86,7 50,5
20-24 92,9 24,8 59,6 86,8 69,4
25-34 89,3 21,9 65,5 80,2 67,6
35-44 86,5 18,1 68,0 69,5 62,9
45-54 81,2 15,2 63,5 61,2 55,0
55-59 74,1 12,0 62,7 54,1 44,2
60-64 66,0 12,3 65,1 46,8 40,1
65-74 42,7 8,9 63,3 38,0 34,1
75 and more 12,2 7,5 59,5 27,6 24,0
Geographical breakdown
North 72,1 17,9 60,7 68,0 53,2
Center 71,6 16,2 60,1 65,5 50,5
Noon 63,2 15,2 52,8 61,7 41,7
Employment status (15 years and older)
Employed 86,3 17,4 67,9 68,5 62,1
Seeking employment 76,3 15,8 57,1 66,3 51,2
Educational qualification attained (15 years and
above)
Laura or more 90,8 31,2 81,3 75,9 72,6
Diploma 82,9 17,0 66,4 68,6 59,9
Up to middle school graduation 49,1 8,4 47,7 54,2 36,7
Family type
With at least one minor 83,1 16,9 49,3 69,6 56,9
Without minors and with
components not only elderly 69,0 17,1 65,3 64,9 55,0
Of only the elderly aged 65 and older 31,5 12,5 63,0 42,0 38,7
Family economic resources
Excellent or adequate 70,6 17,8 61,2 67,1 57,2
Scarce - Absolutely
insufficient 66,0 14,5 51,7 62,5 49,2
Books owned at home by the family
Over 100 81,1 25,3 70,0 73,2 65,1
11 to 100 70,6 14,5 55,3 64,3 52,7
1 to 10 58,3 8,4 47,9 57,0 43,6
None 42,1 7,2 39,8 53,1 37,4
Population
Total % 69,0 16,7 58,1 65,5 54,6
Total in thousands 39.330 6.574 22.854 25.779 19.303
5.5 Internet and relationships social

Chat rooms and social networks are defining elements of our society's daily
experience and have undoubtedly been indispensable during the current pandemic
crisis. However, a number of questions remain open about what the quality of
relationships mediated by these technological tools looks like, whether they succeed in
complementing or replacing traditional fashions, whether they improve or worsen
them, and so on. As has been pointed out by some authors,12 the debate on assessing the
impact of Internet use in life quo-
12 van der Zeeuw et al. (2019).

tidian moves along the polarization between a negative view, which tends to
emphasize the weakening of the social structure in favor of the commodification of
existence linked to the tracking of our lives through the Web, and a positive view, which,
on the other hand, sees in the new forms of social interaction a potential strengthening
of the individual as an individual-within-a-network.13
In Italy, data show that the use of chat rooms and social networks have allowed
the exit or reduction of isolation by more fragile individuals such as the elderly, who
have found in these tools a resource to regain a support network14. Other studies
highlight, however, how relationships and personal well-being are negatively affected
by the intrusiveness that characterizes smartphone use15.
Analysis of the available data on the use of chat rooms and social networks allows us to
observe how these tools are used in general during leisure time and how they were used
during the pandemic and to assess the impact they have on the quality of relationship
and leisure time.
Chat and social networks constitute the most widely used online social interaction
tools. In 2020, nine in ten (89.5 percent) of Internet users use messaging services (e.g.,
WhatsApp) and six in ten (59.8 percent) use a social network (e.g., Facebook) (Figure
5.8). Slightly higher usage rates are found among women users than men: 90.7 versus
88.4 percent of users for messaging and 61.1 versus 58.5 percent for social networks.
The interview by communication activity, gender, and age group. Year 2020 (percentage values)
Total Male Fe ne
Messagg st ca (e.g. Partner Network (e.g.,

WhatsApp) Facebook)
100 100
90 90
80 80
70 70
60 60
50 50
40 40
30 30
20 20
10 54, 89,8 95,5 95,7 94,7 93,9 91,2 88,6 87,4 83, 75, 89,5 10 12,9 56,8 83,8 84,7 78,0 69,4 56,4 50,5 42,6 34,8 26,5 59,8
0 0
06-10 11-14 15-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-59 60-64 65-74 75-HI Total 06-10 11-14 15-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-59 60-64 65-74 75-HI Total
Regarding generational differences, we can observe how message is now widely spread
across all population groups, and even for the two
13 The first is well expressed by the title "Alone together," Sherley Turkle's famous book in which the
anthropologist warns of the risks of isolation, empathy deficits, and algorithmization of the self associated with
the mediation of social interaction through technologies, and smartphones in particular. The question posed to
us is: connected but alone? By contrast, the more optimistic view is found in Networked individualism, the book
by Raine and Wellman, in which the two authors praise the Internet as the foundation of a new social paradigm
according to which individualism is carried out in strong connection with others and in which new media make
"weak ties" crucial to people's quality of life. The question before us is: never alone because connected?
14 Istat (2018); Bologna, Castagnaro (2019).
15 Rotondi, Stanca, Tomasuolo (2017).
extreme classes we find high participation rates: more than one in two 6-10 year old
regular Internet users (54.1 percent) and three in four over74 users (75.1 percent) use it.
On the contrary, with respect to the use of social networks, we still find very limited use
by 6-10 year old users (12.9 percent) and significant differences between young, adult
and elderly users: the largest users are 15-24 year olds (about 84 percent) and then the
share goes down as we proceed through the age groups to 26.5 percent for users over
74.
As early as 201516, data highlighted that 60 percent and 41.5 percent of regular Internet
users said they used them several times a day for non-work communications (Figure 5.9).
The Internet was overall associated with a positive view for relationships: 58.2 percent of
users believed it gave more opportunities to "stay in touch with friends," 35 percent to
"make new acquaintances"; in contrast those who agreed that "the Internet worsens
relationships between people" were 28.1 percent. The positive view connected with the
Internet also strengthened with higher frequency of use (every day and at least once a
week) (Figure 5.10).
Figure 5.9 Regular Internet users aged 6 and older Figure 5.10 Regular Internet users aged 6 and older
By frequency of use of communication By view of the Internet with respect to
mode for non-work reasons. Year 2015 relationships with others and frequency of
(percentage values) Internet use. Year 2015 (percentage
values)
Once or more times a A few times a week Total Daily
day More rarely A few times a week Once a week
60 62,0
nstant
60,0 11,7 5 ,2
aging 50 49,3
40 40,6
Emai 23,6 26,0 23,6 38,5
32,0
30 29,
26,8 27,7
Social network 41,5 14,3 8,7 20
16,9
10
58,2 35,0 28,1
Skype 4.8 9.4 22.1
0
Opportunities Internet opportunities worsen the
0 50 100 to stay in touch make new relationships
with friends between
people
The importance of the Internet for relationships and the negative effects we have
previously highlighted are not mutually exclusive. The skew toward negative
outcomes perhaps relates to the excessive use (overuse)17 associated with the
"smartphone device," and the insidious system of real-time notifications, rather than
Internet use as such. After all, the 2015 data showed how it was the cell phone more
than the Internet that was experienced as indispensable: more than 7 out of 10 people
stated that they would never give it up or that they absolutely wanted to have it, while
less than 5 out of 10 stated the same for the Internet connection (thus ranking even
after the TV set) (Figure 5.11).
16 The data analyzed here refer to the 2015 Citizens and Leisure Survey, which gave the opportunity to conduct an in-
depth study of judgments related to the use of the Intenet for interpersonal relationships.
17 Franks, Chenhall, Keogh (2018).
Figure 5.11 - People aged 15 and older by assets they would never give up or would absolutely like to have.
Year 2015 (percentage values)
I would not give I don't have it, but I would definitely like to
up but have it
70
60
50
4
40 72
65,3 3,3
30 4,2
43,8
20
29,9 25,5
10 3,8
9,4 5,5 4,8 5
8 3,5
0
Te efoninoTe evisor Co lamento Book, Macchin Reader f Lett Dvd Instrument Conso e peLector E-
Smartpha Internet journal, fot graphics, musical musicvide giochbook
peri dic vide
(iPod etc.)
prefer to
The immediacy and constant connection typical of instant chats as well as the mol-
teplicity of uses typical of social networks, however, do not seem to have a negative
impact on the "quality" of free time and relationships (Table 5.3). The quality of the
relationship, is certainly associated with the assiduity of the frequency of friends: those
who see them every day talk more about their problems (46.4 percent vs. 18.6 percent
compared to those who see them more rarely) and compare ideas and opinions more
(30.0 vs. 11.3 percent).
However, digital communication also seems to be associated with greater personal
confrontation with each other, both when this is done through texting (51 percent
versus 32.7 of those who do not use them) and when it makes use of social networks
(50.9 percent versus 34.6 percent). Negative, on the other hand, is the impact of these
technologies on satisfaction with respect to the amount of free time: 54.6 percent of
those who use texting at least once a day are satisfied versus 66.3 percent of those who
do not use it and 57.5 percent of those who use social networks daily versus 63.7
percent of those who do not use them.
Table 5.3 - People aged 15 and older by online and offline interaction practices and quality of relationship and leisure
time. Year 2015 (percentage values)
Fairly or very Fairly or very

Let's talk about our Let's talk about current
events, satisfied with the satisfied with how
other on
problems we confront each
ideas and opinions amount of leisure time spends
Frequency of friends in leisure time
Daily 46,4 30,0 73,7 80,3
A few times a week 43,9 28,5 63,9 73,7
A few times a month 43,7 27,4 52,6 64,1
More rarely 18,6 11,3 55,8 53,5
Instant Messaging
One or more times a day 51,0 35,0 54,6 71,9
A few times a week or more rarely 39,2 28,8 53,0 66,6
Never 32,7 18,3 66,3 66,3
Social network
One or more times a day 50,9 33,3 57,5 72,6
A few times a week or more rarely 43,8 31,8 52,8 68,1
Never 34,6 20,7 63,7 66,6
Total 40,3 25,7 60,4 68,4
Social networks, online platforms, and apps open up spaces for highly differentiated
uses: people watch videos (63.1 percent of Internet users), share videos and photos of their
own or taken by others (57.8 percent) and songs and/videos of music (31.1 percent)
(Figure 5.12).
Figure 5.12 -percentages)
People aged 6 and older by use of social networks and activities performed on the Internet. Year
2015 (values
70 63
57 8
60
50
40
3
30
20
9,3
10
0
G ardare deo YouTube a Cond videre t tvd Cond videre bran / de tilize socia net k fo
t piatt fo eb ch fot propr f tt from to t musical t t SNS blog s t bg t RAD O TV
t a cond sion t t pp C NEMA T ATRO DANCE
visua z n ret d vid
Relationships with friends and relatives were crucial during the COVID-19
pandemic, both in the first phase-the lockdown of spring 2020-and in the second
phase-the second wave of fall 2020. Going to analyze the data collected through the
survey "Diary of Italians at the Time of COVID-19 " conducted by Istat in April 2020 and
December 2020/January 202118, it is observed that in both the first two phases of the
Figure 5.13 - People aged 18 years and older by activities performed on an average weekly day of Phase 1 and
Phase 2 of the COVID-19 health emergency. April 2020 and December 2020/January 2021 (percentage
values)
Apr le 2020December 2020-
January 202
100 96,0
93,6
85,9
80 80 4 80 0
74,9
63 6
62,6
60 60
57,0 58,3
54,4
48,8
40
3 ,5
28,0
25,6
20 22,7 21,4
20 4
16,7
14,3
12,1
8,0
7,7
0
u
cinare housekeeping spsea reports reading sports hobbies
Move
med
ukrainian children
Leisure time
ment Job Studio
Care work
18 Istat (2020).
pandemic, at least three-quarters of the population aged 18 and older devoted their leisure
time to social relationships (74.9 percent and 80.0 percent, respectively) (Figure 5.13).
Among non-personal care activities, relationships are among those to which
"extra" time was devoted compared to a normal pre-COVID day, both in the first and
second phases of the pandemic. Specifically, in the lockdown phase of Phase 1, about
six out of ten people reported hearing from friends and relatives to a greater extent than
in the previous period, while in the second phase, under a condition of partial lockdown
and restriction of "normal" daily activities and leisure time, greater interpersonal
interaction via telephone affected just under four out of ten (Figure 5.14).
Figure 5.14 - People aged 18 years and older who on an average weekly day of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the COVID-19
health emergency heard from relatives and friends on the phone and spent more time on these activities
than on a pre-COVID day. April 2020 and December 2020/January 2021 (percentage values)
Dec2020-Jan202 Apr2020
40,6
He heard relatives on the
59,6
phone
37,5
He heard on the phone
63,5
amic
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Finally, again in the area of interpersonal communication, it should be pointed out

that video calls made up at least half of all phone calls in the first phase and about one-third
in the second phase (Table 5.4).
Table 5.4 - People aged 18 years and older who on an average weekly day of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the COVID-19
health emergency communicated on the phone with friends and relatives and used video calls by age
group. April 2020 and December 2020/January 2021 (percentage values)
Non-cohabiting relatives Frien
ds
They heard on the phoneOf which video They heard on the phoneOf which video
calls calls
April 2020
18-24 47,4 27,6 63,9 45,8
25-34 69,1 46,6 65,5 39,9
35-44 70,4 43,5 61,5 31,4
45-54 55,8 29,4 47,9 22,9
55-64 62,0 25,1 49,3 16,4
65-74 64,1 29,5 35,7 9,2
75 and more 67,6 10,3 26,6 2,8
Total 62,9 30,4 49,3 22,7
December 2020 - January 2021
18-24 50,0 20,9 81,8 48,2
25-34 60,3 22,3 84,2 36,8
35-44 64,8 27,6 65,7 24,8
45-54 62,4 25,0 55,2 17,5
55-64 68,9 21,8 58,1 14,2
65-74 66,5 13,4 47,1 6,9
75 and more 62,8 4,5 26,5 0,9
Total 63,2 19,8 58,2 19,4
Source: Istat, Survey on the Integration of Second Generations.

Over the past few years, there has been a continuous increase in the use of the
Internet in our country; however, the population is still too unaccustomed to regular
use of the Internet (about one in three people used it less than once a week in the
three months prior to the interview or never used it at all) and still too conditioned in
its use by socio-demographic factors. Both in the case of access and in the case of
forms and modes of use, in fact, there is a gap that is connoted as a disadvantage to the
disadvantage of residents in the South, the elderly population (and the female population
in particular), the less educated population and the unemployed. Cultural, social and
economic capital creates what are the conditions for the exploitability of this technology,
which itself comes to be constituted as real capital.
This digital capital, which has become increasingly fundamental, has shown its
indispensability precisely in times of pandemic, where it has proved essential within the
home for daily life and challenges related to school and work activities and social and
cultural participation. Equally evident, however, was the impact of the digital divide, which,
in the midst of the pandemic, showed the difficulties of those segments of the population
and territories that, precisely because of their lack of access to information and
communication technologies, found themselves excluded, totally or partially.
In spite of, this situation, on one aspect the Internet seems to be spread widely
among the population, reducing the differences between generations and population
groups and, in some cases, even finding more diffusion precisely among the weaker
users (as in the case of women): communication through messaging and social
networks. These activities were crucial during the lockdown, because they allowed the
physical distance to be bridged and word of mouth and solidarity networks to be quickly
activated. The Internet, the virtual network, which already flanked the "real" networks of
sociability (friends, family, church, etcete- ra) became the only network available, a
vehicle for the others as well.
Messaging and social networking allowed continuous interaction through video
calls, videos, and information exchange. Of course, it has not been easy. The data show
us that the Internet is certainly seen as a means of keeping in touch, but also that face-to-
face interaction remains essential. Especially in the initial phase of the pandemic we had to
learn to quickly transpose intimacy and spirituality itself within a virtual and two-
dimensional dimension, with all the limitation of the absence of physical contact. That is
probably not the place designated for deep dialogue and relationship with others, but
it was nevertheless a substitute, and a well-functioning one at that, at a time when
nothing else was available.
We are likely to find ourselves in the coming years assessing the full extent of the
pandemic emergence effect that, through the spread of certain digi-related practices-
think of e-commerce, services to support learning, and work routines-as well as policies
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2: 435-458.
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113
6. FROM SPORT FOR ALL TO SPORT FOR EVERYONE1
6.1 Introduction
In the second half of the 20th century, a distinction was established between "sport
for profes- sionists" oriented toward high competition and major events and "sport for all,"
aimed at encouraging the participation in sporting activity of as many people as possible
while maintaining the organizational logic and cultural constraints of competition sport. In
more recent years, alongside amateur sporting activity based on competition for
recreational and entertainment purposes, motor and sporting practices that are not
necessarily competitive are also spreading, which are part of the "sport for everyone"
movement oriented toward body care and leisure to be practiced in equipped places (gyms,
swimming pools) or in unstructured outdoor spaces2. For several years now, gymnastics,
aerobics, fitness, and physical culture have occupied first place in the ranking of sports
practiced (25.2 percent in 2015). More and more perso- ne are practicing sports to keep
fit (54.9 percent in 2015 and 53.6 percent in 2006), but above all, outdoor sports
practice in unstructured settings is growing (41.9
percent in 2015 and 29.4 percent in 2006).
Over time, the relationship with one's body has changed and more attention to self-
care is emerging. A concept of leisure time emerges as time to devote to oneself and in
which sport becomes the protagonist3. Sports and outdoor activities in the ranking of time
devoted to leisure activities, occupy the fourth place with an average of 32' minutes per
day, or 10 percent of the available leisure time of about 4 hours and 53' minutes,
preceded by television (1:55'), social life (53') and rest (40')4.
During 2020, following the Coronavirus emergency, there were successive periods
of closures of gyms, sports facilities, and outdoor equipped areas. In this context, citizens,
who habitually practiced sports and physical activity, exercised by taking advantage of
spaces where it was possible to engage in motor activity without violating the
provisions to counter the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
6.2 Physical-sports practice in the last twenty years

Over the past two decades, more and more people are devoting part of their
leisure time to physical-sport activities: from about 34 million in 2000 to nearly 38
million in 2020. Analyzing the age-standardized rates, the increase is mainly driven by the
practice of sports continuously (from 17.8 percent in 2000 to 29.0 percent in 2020), the
share of occasional sports remains stable (about 10 percent), while the share of physical
activities such as taking walks of at least two kilometers, swimming, biking, or other is
trending downward (from 33 percent in 2000 to 27.7 percent in 2020) (Figure 6.1).
1 The chapter was edited and edited by Laura Iannucci.
2 Martelli, Leek (2018).
3 D'Arcangelo, Morrone and Savioli (2005).
4 Istat (2016).
Figure 6.1 - People aged 3 and older who participate in sports (continuously or occasionally) or engage in some
physical activity. Years 2000-2020 (age-standardized rates)
Sp tnt uat Sp t t Att tà f Sp t
70
60
50
40
30
20
0
78
92
98
20 8
22 3
23 6
22 9
24 3
26 6
27 4
28 3
26 5
22 3
22 6
26 4
23
24
23
25
2
In 2020, the share of people practicing physical-sport activities remained at pre-

pande- mia levels despite the difficulties in performing such activities in the indoor
environments of gyms, swimming pools, and sports facilities due to the well-known COVID-
19 pandemic containment regulations.
The gradual increase in sports practice over the past two decades affects both men (35.7
percent in 2000 and 42.7 percent in 2020) and women (21.5 percent in 2000 and 30.8
percent) and is observed, albeit differentially, in all age groups except for children and
adolescents aged 11-17 (Figure 6.2).
Figure 6.2 - People aged 3 and older who participate in sports (continuously or occasionally). Years 2000, 2019 and 2020
(percentage values)
2000 2019 2020
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
3-5
3-5
3-5
6-10
6-10
6-10
11-14
15-17
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
more
11-14
15-17
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
more
11-14
15-17
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
more
75 and
75 and
75 and
Masch Females Males and

females
It is noteworthy that in 2020, the lockdown year, the number of women aged 18-44 who
play sports in their leisure time will increase from the previous year.
Of note is the sharp increase in sports participation in older ages, which has almost
tripled in the past 20 years from 5.3 percent in 2000 to 13.7 percent in 2020. The
recovery in the older population has affected both genders, but to a greater extent
women (from 3.5 percent in 2000 to 9.4 percent in 2020). The improved condition-
he health status of the younger elderly and their higher level of education cannot fail to be
positively reflected in their relationship with sports and physical activity as well5.
The practice of sports is becoming more and more prevalent in the transition from
older to younger generations. While the amount of sport practiced for life-cycle reasons
tends to decrease with age for all individuals, the younger generations show consistently
higher levels of practice than previous generations. Among women, for example, the
share of sportswomen in the 50-54 age group is 5.4 percent for those born between
1926 and 1945, rises to 9.3 percent in the next generation (born between 1946 and
1955), and reaches 15.6 percent among 50-54-year-olds born between 1956 and 19656. A
similar trend is observed for practicing 50-54-year-old men, which rises from 12.7
percent among those born before the section to 19.8 percent among those born
between 1956 and 1965.
6.3 Physical-sporting activity and the life cycle

Levels of participation in sports and physical activity are strongly related to age and,
therefore, to people's life cycle. Age, however, does not act equally on these leisure-time
activities: while sports is characterized as a typically youthful activity (from 68.9 percent
among 11-14 year olds decreases to 7.0 percent among those over 75), physical activity
such as taking walks of at least two kilometers, swimming, bicycling, or other, on the other
hand, is more prevalent among the elderly population (from 16.2 percent among 11-14
year olds increases to 37.3 percent among 65-74 year olds) (Figure 6.3).
Sports activity reaches the highest rates among 11-14 year olds (60.6 percent
continuously and 8.3 percent occasionally) while still in junior high school. Coming out of
compulsory schooling, interest in sports decreases, and from the age of 15, sports
participation begins to decline even though it remains commun- ally high up to the age of
24 (61.2 percent between the ages of 15 and 17 and nearly 57.8 percent between the ages
of 18 and 24, respectively). Among the reasons for dropping out, adolescents highlight the
problem of time (43.5 percent among 15-17 in 2006) and study (26.3 percent among 15-
17 in 2006), as well as lack of interest in sports (28.8 percent in 2006) or the taking
over of other interests (12.7 percent in 2006).
Interest in sporting activity declines for men and women especially in corri-
spondence with the entry into adult life, when work- and family-related commitments
are greater: there is a 10 percentage point drop from the 25-34 age group (50.1
percent in 2020) to the 35-44 age group (40.3 percent in 2020). Further abandonment
of sporting activity occurs at older ages (-13 percen- tual points for those over 65
compared to the 65-74 age group), most likely due to the onset of age-related health
limitations or problems.
As the number of people interested in physical activity decreases, it tends to increase:
from 20.6 percent among adolescents aged 15-17 years old, it reaches the maximum
share of 37.3 percent among the elderly aged 65-74 years old.
Gender is another strong differentiating factor for levels of sports practice and
physical activity. Sports participation is found to be much higher among men, with 32.3
percent of them playing sports continuously and 10.4 percent playing them
occasionally, while among women the proportion is 22.1 percent and 8.7 percent,
respectively. With the exception of the very young (3-5 years old), in whom the shares
of practitioners are equivalent-
5 Quattrociocchi, Tibaldi (eds.) (2020).
6 Istat (2017).
gono between girls and boys, gender differences persist even at the same age. The gap
emerges as early as age 6, reaches its highest levels between ages 18 and 44, and then
decreases in subsequent age groups.
For physical activity, in contrast to sports, women do more (29.7 percent versus 26.4
percent of men). The greater interest in physical activity by women characterizes all ages
except for the very young and the elderly.
Figure 6.3 - People aged 3 and older who participate in sports (continuously and occasionally) or engage in some physical activity by
gender and age group. Year 2020 (percentage values)
Continuous sports Occasional Physical Sport

sports activity s
100
80
60
40
20
0
6-10
11-14
15-17
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
more
11-14
15-17
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
11-14
15-17
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
more
75 and
75 and
6-10
6-10
3-5
3-5
3-5
more
75 and
Masch Females Males and females
Figure 6.4 - People aged 25 and older who play sports (continuously or occasionally) or engage in some physical activity by age group and
educational qualification. Year 2020 (percentage values)
Sport ontinuativoSport altuario
Activity f sical Sport
100
90
80 23,4 31,4 28,4

70 29,3 34,1 38,9 32,8
62,8
60
37,7 55,2
53,
50
45,4 27,4 32,4
40 39,6 39,3 29,3
32,9 27,6
30
24, 23,4
20 20,2
15,7
10 9,
0
Degree Diploma Up to Degree Diploma Up to Degree Diploma Up to Degree Diploma Up to
plus icence plus icence plus icence plus icence
media media media media
25-44 45-64 65 and more Total

6.4 The socio-cultural profile of physical activity practitioners sports

Educational level exerts a strong influence on the practice of leisure time sports. The
share of the population aged 25 years and older who devote part of their leisure time to
sports is 55.2 percent among those with a bachelor's degree or higher, decreasing to
39.3 among high school graduates and 15.7 percent among those with no more than a
high school diploma (Figure 6.4). Although the influence of educational qualification on
sports practice is evident for men and women at all ages, it is particularly strong for older
women; among them, the share of practitioners with high education is four times as high
as among peers with at most a high school diploma (26.8 percent versus 6.1 percent).
Over the past twenty years, sports participation has increased especially for men
and women with higher educational qualifications (from 40.4 percent in 2000 to 55.2
percent in 2020). In particular, the share of sportspeople has doubled among older
people with college degrees of both genders (from 16.8 to 37.7 for men and from 11.4 to
26.8 for women). Among the elderly, higher educational qualification also exerts a
positive effect on the practice of physical activity: 38.9 percent of college graduates
compared with 27.6 percent for those with no more than a high school diploma.
Figure 6.5 - People aged 3 and older who participate in sports (continuously or occasionally) or engage in some
physical activity by geographic breakdown. Year 2020 (percentage values)
Continuous sports Occasional SportsPhysical activity
sports
90
77,2 79,4 76,6
71,6 73,8 72,7
80
68,5 67,4
63,5
28,8
70
29,3
32,2
35,4
56,1 54,3
26,5
3
32,6
60 50,5 49,1
28,3
30
45,3 44,3
50 0,
23
47,
22,2
45, 44,4
23,7
41,
22,5
40 8,4 9,
24,5
22,9
5, 3,
3, 2,
30
26, 26,
20 20, 21,4
10
0
Northeast
Northeast
Northeast
Center
Center
Center
Sou
Sou
Sou
shin
shin
shin
sun
sun
sun
Northwest
Northwest
Northwest
th
th
th
e
Masch Females Males and

Females
6.5 The differences territorial

Aptitude for physical-sport practice is not homogeneous in different areas of the
country. The Northeast is the geographical breakdown with the highest share of
people who engage in sports or physical activity in their free time (76.6 percent),
followed by the Northwest (72.7 percent) and the Center (67.4 percent). Significantly
lower than the national average is the physical-sport practice in the South (50.5 percent)
and the Islands (49.1 percent) (Figure 6.5).
Territorial differences are most pronounced in the practice of sports: in the North,
almost one in two people play sports in their free time compared with one in three in
southern and island Italy. For children and adolescents (ages 3-14), the territorial gap is
wider: less than half of them practice sports compared to 70 percent in the North. This
disadvantage increases further for residents in municipalities of up to 2,000 inhabitants in
the Mez- zogiorno where the share of practitioners is almost half that of the same type of
municipalities in the North (22.2 percent in the Mez- zogiorno compared to 37.8
percent in the North).
Compared with 20 years ago, the territorial gap in sports practice tends to worsen; in
fact, the number of sportsmen and women increases by about 9 percentage points in
the Northwest (33.0 percent in 2000) and 10 percentage points in the Northeast (34.4
percent in 2000) and the Center (28.8 percent in 2000) compared with only 5
percentage points in the South (21.7 percent in 2000) and the Islands (21.9 percent).
The territorial differences highlighted, in part, can be attributed to a different
endowment of facilities7 and infrastructure that cannot be filled. It is necessary, therefore, to
re-equilibrate the need for sports facilities in the country, giving priority to areas that are
still far from national averages (South, small towns, metropolitan areas) by appropriately
taking into account the age structure of the population and the opportunities offered by
the environment. Young people are more attracted to the traditional sports facility and
often point to the lack of facilities as one of the causes of non-activity or early
abandonment of it. In contrast, people in adulthood are more interested in the pursuit
of physical well-being and a direct relationship with the environment. Attracting small
spaces in a public park, where the climate is favorable, could guarantee results far
superior to those achievable with an expensive sports facility8.
6.6 The motivations and places of sports

People approach sports mainly for passion or pleasure (60.3 percent in 2015), to
keep fit (54.9 percent in 2015) and for recreation (49.5 percent in 2015), but also to
reduce stress (31.6 percent in 2015) (Figure 6.6).
The motivations for engaging in sports vary significantly with age. Younger people
predominantly experience sports as a pleasure (76.9 percent of 11-14 year olds and
75.7 percent of 15-17 year olds), emphasize its socializing aspect (more than a quarter of
6-19 year olds play sports to be with other people) and its importance for the values it
conveys (more than 26 percent between the ages of 3 and 14). Beyond the age of 20,
while motivations related to the recreational and pleasure aspect remain important, the
desire to maintain good physical fitness, indicated by more than 65 percent of people
aged 25-44, and the opportunity to relieve stress, a motivation indicated by 44.5
percent of sportsmen and women aged 35-44, gain more importance. As age increases,
the therapeutic abilities of sport are increasingly emphasized, a motivation that gains in
value from age 45 onward, to become prevalent among those aged 75 and older.
With respect to the reasons for playing sports, strong gender differences emerge;
for women, sports is more mental and physical well-being, while for men it is more
passion and recreation.
7 In 2020, the census of sports facilities in the territory carried out by Coni through the work of Coni servizi Spa and with
the contribution of the Prime Minister's Office was completed. The project included the survey through physical
inspections of all public and private facilities of public interest in synergy with sector bodies and institutions operating in the
territory. The results of the census will allow for more in-depth study of territorial differences in the distribution of sports
facilities.
8 D'Arcangelo, Morrone and Savioli (2005).
Figure 6.6 - People aged 3 years and older who participate in sports by reason they participate and gender.
Year 2015
(percentage values)
MalesFemales Males and females
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Pleasure, Keeping in EntertainmentDownloading or For valor To More
passion form
AttendingImprovingStaying instress other 'a that purpos
therapeutic pace with the
people physic or conveys eStay at times
al nature
chest
In fact, exercising for passion or pleasure is more prevalent among men (67.8 percent
versus 49.6 percent of women), as is considering it a source of recreation (50.8 percent
versus 47.7 percent), while keeping fit, reducing stress and improving physical
appearance are motivations given more by women (59.8 percent, 32.6 percent and
22.3 percent of women versus 51.4 percent, 30.9 percent and 17.4 percent,
respectively). In addition, while women place more value on the therapeutic potential
of sports (15.9 percent compared to 8.8 percent of men), the values that sport conveys
and contact with nature are motivations stated most by men.
The majority of practitioners exercise in sports facilities, which depending on the sport can
be indoors (58.7 percent in 2015) or outdoors (39.1 percent in 2015) (Figure 6.7), but in
both cases the share is decreasing compared to 2006 when it was ri- spectively 61.5
percent and 43.3 percent. On the other hand, the number of sportsmen and women who
prefer to train unstructured and independently, preferring outdoor and unequipped spaces
is increasing: 29.4 percent of practitioners in 2006 and 41.9 percent in 2015. Among the latter,
24.9 percent practice in the city (parks, streets, villas, etc.), while 31.0 percent train in spaces
outside the city (sea, mountains, lake, forests, etc.).
The fact that practice in unstructured outdoor spaces is becoming more prevalent
than in the past is related to the greater prevalence over time of sports disciplines such as
jogging and jogging or activities such as yoga, Pilates, and various forms of dance and
dance that, especially at times of the year when the weather permits, see people
gather in parks, forests, and so on9.
Outdoor practice, regardless of whether or not it is in equipped venues, is more
prevalent among men and increases as age increases, with higher levels starting at age
35, while children and young people practice more often in indoor sports facilities.
9 Istat (2017).
Figure 6.7 - People aged 3 and older who participate in sports by place of sports practice and gender. Year
2015
(percentage values) Males Females Males and
Females
80
70
60 58,7
50
40 41,9
39,
30
24,8
20
3,5
10
0 1,0
In sports facilities at In sports facilities In outdoor spacesIn outdoor spacesAt home Mor
or in spaces
closed outdoor non attrezzat equipat condominial e
6.7 Physical-sports practice in the time of COVID- 19

As a result of the Coronavirus emergency, nationwide, lockdowns of gyms, sports
facilities, and outdoor equipment areas followed throughout 2020, resulting in a
lockdown of motor and sports activities10. During the first lockdown (spring 2020), the
suspension of activities of gyms, sports centers, swimming pools, and swimming centers
had been ordered, and in addition to this, a ban on outdoor recreational or leisure
activities. It remained permissible to carry out motor activity individually in the pros- simity
of one's home, provided, however, that interpersonal distance was respected.
At this stage, despite the closure of gyms and the ban on access to public parks,
physical-sporting activity was practiced by almost a quarter of citizens (22.7 percent
said they practiced it on an average weekly day in April 2020), amounting to 11.4 million
people. Physical-sporting activity was mainly practiced at home (94 percent), also
taking advantage of any available open spaces such as terraces, balconies, private
gardens or outdoor condominium spaces. Only 7.3 percent of practitioners report that
they did their outdoor physical activity in a space not pertaining to the home.
Contrary to what is usually the case, no significant gender differences emerged
during the first lockdown, and the share of women who engaged in physical sports activity
on an average weekday overlapped with men (21.9 percent and 23.5 percent). 37.3
percent of those who practiced sports devoted more time to it than usual. Women
managed to increase the amount of time spent on physical activity more than men (45.6
percent versus 29 percent) (Figure 6.8).
10 Chamber of Deputies, Study Service, 17th Legislature, Measures taken following the Coronavirus emergency (COVID-19) in
sports https://www.camera.it/temiap/documentazione/temi/pdf/1219650.pdf?_1641129369235.
Figure 6.8 - People aged 18 years and older who on an average weekly day of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the COVID-19
health emergency participated in sports or physical activity by gender and age group. April 2020 and December
2020/January 2021(percentage values)
Practice sports or physical activity Practice sports or physical activity Dec20-
apr-20 Jan21
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
23,5 21,9 22,7 31,7 23,7 19,6 16,1
0
Masch Femm Males 18-34 35-54 55-64 65 and
and over
Females
At the end of May 2020, outdoor sports and motor activity is allowed, including at
equipped areas and public parks provided, however, that the interpersonal safety distance is
respected. In addition, following strict protocols, basic sports and motor activity at gyms,
swimming pools, sports centers and clubs, etc. can resume.
Beginning in October 2020, however, in view of the increase in COVID-19 cases, some
restrictions are again introduced, gradually tightening depending on the area. As of December
2020/January 2021, the share of people who reported engaging in physical/sporting
activity on an average day per week is reduced (from 22.7 percent in the first lockdown
to 14.3 percent); among women, the share of practitioners is halved (from 21.9 percent
to 11.2 percent). In this second lockdown, gyms remain closed, but physical and sporting
activity is allowed outdoors at public facilities and parks. Practicing in open spaces not
pertaining to the home increases from 7.3 percent to 49.1 percent, and indoor practice, while
remaining high, declines from 94 percent to 59.7 percent. Those who prefer outdoor
practice are mostly men aged 18-34 (59.1 percent versus 4.7 percent in the first lockdown)
and women aged 55-64 (64.3 percent).
6.8 The shows sports

The enjoyment of live sports performances over twenty years has a gradually decreasing
trend (from 27.8 percent in 2000 to 24.5 percent in 2019) with positive peaks in the years 2003
(29 percent) and 2011 (28.4 percent). The largest decrease is observed in 2020 (-3
percentage points compared to 2019) when, as a result of the known pandemic re-
strikes, sporting events are first stopped, then allowed without the presence of spectators,
and finally opened to a reduced number of spectators.
The enjoyment of this entertainment in leisure time turns out to be a prerogative
of men: the share of men who go to a sporting event is, in fact, more than twice that of
women (30.0 percent vs. 13.8 percent in the
2020). At older ages, the gender gap is even wider: 14.8 percent versus 3 percent
(Figure 6.9).
The highest fruition is observed among children and adolescents: above 40 percent
for boys aged 11-17 and about 30 percent for girls in the same age group. In youth age
(18-24) it remains high especially among males (42.6 percent). In adulthood, the enjoyment
of sports shows decreases significantly, for both genders, to 4.8 percent among those
over 65.
Men and women with medium-high educational qualifications enjoy sports shows to a
greater extent than people with low educational qualifications (25.7 percent versus
11.4 percent). Participation in live sports shows is also higher among people who rate
their family's economic resources as excellent or adequate (20.6 percent compared with
15.5 percent among those who rate them as poor or insufficient).
Interest in sports shows is highest among those who participate in sports: 38.9 percent
among those who participate in sports continuously and 28.5 among those who
participate occasionally, 17.5 among those who engage in only some physical activity,
and only by 9.9 among those who engage in neither sports nor physical activity. Half of 11-
17 year olds who participate in sports also attend live sports shows compared with
about 40 percent of female peers.
Figure 6.9 - People aged 6 years and older who attended sports performances by gender, age group and sports practice.
Year 2020(percentage values)
Males attending sports performances Females attending sports performances
Total population attending sports performances Male sports practitioners attending sports performances
Female sports practitioners attending sports performances Tot. population practicing sports attending sports performances
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
M FM FM FM FM FM FM FM FM FM F
6-1011-1415-1718-2425-3435-4445-5455-6465-7475 and more Total
The territorial differences already seen for sports practice are also reproduced in the
enjoyment of sports entertainment: this type of entertainment affects about 23 percent of
residents in the North and 22 in the Center compared to 18.4 of island residents and 19.9 in
the South.

For several years now, sportsmen have been showing an increasing preference for
disciplines to be practiced in outdoor spaces that are not necessarily equipped. Indeed,
traditional sports are being joined by new sports disciplines that do not require highly
structured environments. In the current pandemic period, unstructured sports practice
has further-
mind established either by necessity, during the closure of gyms, or by the choice of active
lifestyles to be carried out in contact with the natural environment.
At present, it is not easy to understand whether this individualized way of doing
sports will lead to a significant increase in sports practitioners or will just be a different
way of doing sports for people already dedicated to sports. In addition, sports practice
carried out in one's home by taking organized online courses, which had its peak during
the first lockdown, is likely to lose acceptance because it lacks the relational aspect.
Despite the fact that new generations show consistently higher levels of practice
than previous generations, nearly two-thirds of the population does not play any sports.
It is especially among the less-educated segments of the population that sports practice
does not spread adequately.
In addition, strong criticalities remain among residents in southern regions and small
municipalities where there is less supply of sports facilities or equipped areas to carry out
motor activity. In these territorial areas, unstructured sports practice, i.e., carried out in
unequipped outdoor spaces, is also less widespread, testifying to the need to also
invest in the dissemination of sports culture by leveraging, above all, the social relevance
of sport and its beneficial effects on health.
The social and educational function of sport is also underscored in the Lisbon Treaty11
(2009) with which the European Union, acquiring specific competence also in the field of
sport, supports the idea that sport can improve general well-being, help su- perate
broader social issues such as racism, social exclusion and gender inequality, and bring
significant economic benefits throughout the Union.
11 The Reform Treaty, signed in Lisbon on December 13, 2007, consists of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and
the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). In the first articles of the Treaty on European Union,
the values and objectives of the Union are defined. It highlights the matters that are the responsibility of the
member states and the matters in which decisions are taken directly by the European institutions, particularly
the European Parliament and the Council; it also enhances the democratic accountability of the Union by
strengthening the Charter of Fundamental Rights and consolidating the rule of law.
Bologna, E. 2019. "Sports practice and territorial differences." In Lecardane, G. (ed.). Leisure time
use patterns in Italy. A statistical analysis of the phenomenon with special reference to Sicily: 91-
108. Rome, Italy: Aracne Editrice.
D'Arcangelo, E., A. Morrone, and M. Savioli (eds.). 2005. "The changing sport. Emerging behaviors
and new trends in sports practice in Italy." Topics, No. 29. Rome, Italy: Istat.
https://ebiblio.istat.it/digibib/Argomenti/IST0047805Argomenti29_2005_lo_sport_che_cambia.pdf.
National Institute of Statistics - Istat. 2017. "The practice of sports in Italy. Year 2015."
Statistics Report. Rome, Italy: Istat. www.istat.it/it/archivio/204663.
National Institute of Statistics - Istat. 2016. "Times of daily life. Year 2014." Statistics Report.
Rome, Italy: Istat. www.istat.it/it/archivio/193098.
Martelli, S., and N. Porro. 2018. New handbook of Sociology of sport and physical activity. Milan,
Italy: FrancoAngeli.
Quattrociocchi, L., and M. Tibaldi (eds.). 2020. "Active aging and living conditions of the elderly
in Italy." Statistical Readings-Themes. Rome, Italy: Istat. https://www.istat.it/it/
archive/246504.
125
7. SATISFACTION WITH LEISURE TIME MEASURE OF WELL-BEING1
7.1 Satisfaction with time free

Leisure time, understood as time not subject to imposed constraints, lived outside
the obligations of study, work and domestic activities, is a fundamental dimension of
the quality of life, which characterizes and distinguishes contemporary society from a
social and cultural point of view and which has changed profoundly throughout history,
in Italy and in other countries of the world. Watersheds of a modern configuration of
leisure time were the processes of industrialization, which sharply segmented daily life
into work time, leisure time and rest time. However, post-modern modes of work have
significantly altered this division, blurring its boundaries greatly, as much in the day as
in the week and the year2.
Leisure time scholars identify leisure time as qualitatively different from the time
people spend on other activities. Thus, the value of leisure time is recognized since
individuals seek to devote it to more desirable activities, reducing that spent on
compulsory activities.
Some authors have highlighted how leisure activities play a very important role in
subjective
well-being3 because they provide opportunities to satisfy life values and needs.
Through participation in leisure activities, people build social relationships, experience
positive emotions, acquire additional skills and knowledge, and thus improve the
quality of their lives.
Among the many possible leisure time activities, cultural participation has a si-
gnificant positive effect on well-being, an effect that is confirmed in numerous studies
and research and has recently been sanctioned by the World Health Organization4. It also
grows in economic significance and its impact on household spending. In 2019,
households residing in the European Union had devoted 9.1 percent of their final
consumer spending to recreation and culture and had spent almost the same
percentage (8.9 percent) on restaurants and hotels. The total of these two typical
leisure uses, at 18 percent, ranks second in terms of incidence, right after household
spending (including electricity and energy consumption) and ahead of transportation
and food spending5.
Studies have documented how active and passive engagement in arts and cultural
activities can contribute to individual well-being through various
1 The chapter was edited by Annalisa Cicerchia, Elisabetta Del Bufalo and Simona Staffieri. Section 6.1 was edited
by Annalisa Cicerchia. Section 6.2 was edited by Elisabetta del Bufalo. Paragraph 6.3 was drafted by Simona
Staffieri. Section 6.4 was drafted by Annalisa Cicerchia and Simona Staffieri. Section 6.5 was drafted by Annalisa
Cicerchia, Elisabetta Del Bufalo and Simona Staffieri.
2 Fuchs (2015); Singer et al. (2018).
3 Brajša-Žganec et al. (2011).
4 Fancourt and Finn (2019).
5 See Ch. 1 for a more in-depth discussion of cultural spending.
dimensions, including improved cognitive abilities, mental health, psychological well-

being, sense of life, and pro-social attitudes.6 Among the most important leisure activities are
relationships with friends, which pertain to the interpersonal dimension of social
inclusion. Sociality generates social capital and therefore represents a form of protection
from adverse events and loneliness.
The digital revolution has imprinted a broad and profound, and ever-increasing,
impact on leisure activities, especially in terms of mode, content, and peer sociality. This
relevance has been magnified disproportionately in the two years of the pande- mine by
COVID-19, especially among younger people. Leisure activities that generate satisfaction
should also include sports, whose positive effects on physical well-being have been
widely described and studied7.
7.2 Increasingly satisfied with their leisure time, but family, health and friends top the list
In 2020, the share of the population aged 14 and older who say they are very or
fairly satisfied with their leisure time is 69.3 percent (36.4 million people)8. Although it
covers a high portion of the population, the share of those satisfied with leisure time is
low when compared with other areas of satisfaction, such as family relationships (89.7
percent), relationships with friends and health (81.6 percent) (Table 7.1).
Table 7.1 - People aged 14 and older satisfied with their life, family and friendships, health, leisure, work, and
economic situation. Years 2000, 2010, 2019 and 2020 (percentage values)
2000 2010 2019 2020
Satisfaction with one's life (a) - 43,3 43,2 44,3
Satisfaction with family relationships (b) 89,8 90,4 89,7 89,7
Satisfaction with friendly relationships (b) 82,2 82,7 82,3 81,6
Health satisfaction (b) 78,5 80,4 80,2 81,6
Satisfaction with leisure time (b) 62,6 64,4 68,0 69,3
Job satisfaction (b) 75,9 75,9 77,7 79,0
Satisfaction with the economic situation (b) 58,5 48,4 56,5 58,0
(a) Score 8-10 on a scale of 0-10.
(b) Percentage of people aged 14 and older who say they are very or fairly satisfied.
As for satisfaction with leisure, the time-series analysis mo- strains growth from
2000, the first year of observation, to 2020 (Figure 7.1). The positive change observed
over the period considered is 11 percent; this is the largest growth when compared with
satisfaction with other aspects of life. In the time interval under consideration, in fact,
Italian households' spending on recreation and culture also grows, and the largest item
is services, which include a wide range of activities: from live entertainment to cinema,
radio and television consumption, admissions to museums and monuments, and so on9.
6 McCarthy et al. (2004); Fancourt and Finn (2019).

7 Bucksch and Schlicht (2006).
8 Istat (2021).
9 Caramis and Arosio (2019).
7. Satisfaction with leisure time, a measure of well-being. 127
The increase in the share of people very or fairly satisfied with their leisure time is not
linear over the years and also has negative peaks. For example, in 2007, when people very
or fairly satisfied with their leisure time were only 61.6 percent, and in 2013, when the
share was 63 percent10. Finally, even in 2017 there is a break in the indicator's growth, with a
decrease, compared to the previous year, of about one percentage point.
Figure 7.1 - People aged 14 and older who say they are very or fairly satisfied with leisure time by gender. Years 2000-2020 (percentage values)
Masch Females Mas hi and
Females
75
73
7 71,2
69 69,4
67,7
67
65,0
64,
65 64,4
63,1
6362,6
61,6
6
61,2
60,9
59
59,3
57
55
2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Throughout the observation period, men consistently report being more satisfied
than women. Starting in 2000, when the gap between males and females is 2.9
percentage points (65.2 percent of men satisfied versus 62.3 percent of women), the
maximum gap is reached in 2007, with a difference of almost 5 percentage points (64.1
percent of men versus 59.3 percent of women). In 2020, the satisfaction levels of both
collectives increase, and satisfied men reach 71 percent and women 67.5 percent, and at
the same time the gap narrows to 3.5 percentage points. Thus, it seems that it is more difficult
or less satisfying for women to find space for leisure, having to juggle the various activities of
daily life, as previous studies have already found11. Continuing with an analysis by age group,
the effect of the various stages of the life cycle is evident: young people feel much more
satisfied with their leisure time, while in the middle ages of life the share decreases, and
then rises again from age 65 onward. However, comparing the 2000 data with the 2020
data, it can be seen that the most noticeable growth was precisely in the middle ages, which
started from lower levels of leisure satisfaction. Between ages 35 and 44, a change of about
26 percentage points is observed, and between ages 45 and 54, the change is 21.7
percentage points. Satisfied young people under 35 years of age cre- scate by about 15
percentage points. For those over 64, although the percentages of satisfied
are higher, there are some slight decreases in the 20 years under review (Figure 7.2).
10 Ditto.
11 Istat (2019).
Figure 7.2 - People aged 14 and older who say they are very or fairly satisfied with leisure time by gender and age
group. Year 2020 (percentage values)
Masch Females Males and Females
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
14-17 18-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-59 60-64 65-74 75 and
above
The distribution of those satisfied with their leisure time highlights a polarization
between the regions of Northern Italy, which show higher levels of satisfaction, and the
regions of the South, with tendentially lower values. As for the Islands, Sicily shows the
lowest share of those satisfied with leisure time, while Sardinia reaches almost 70
percent, a value much higher than the national average (Table 7.2).
Table 7.2 - People aged 14 and older who say they are very or fairly satisfied with leisure time and region.
Years 2000, 2010 and 2020 (percentage values)
Regions 2000 Ranking 2000 2010 2010 Ranking 2020 2020 Ranking
Bolzano/Bozen 74,3 1 77,8 1 78,8 1
Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol 71,8 3 75,7 2 78,4 2
Trento 69,4 4 69,2 4 77, 9 3
Aosta Valley/Vallée d'Aoste 66,0 11 69,5 3 75,0 4
Umbria 66,1 10 63,5 16 73,3 5
Liguria 74,2 2 68,6 5 73,1 6
Emilia-Romagna 65,4 12 67,5 9 73,1 7
Veneto 62,4 16 66,2 10 72,9 8
Tuscany 68,9 5 68,2 6 72,7 9
Molise 63,1 15 61,5 17 72,0 10
Lombardy 66,9 8 67,7 8 71,4 11
Brands 66,5 10 68,1 7 71,0 12
Friuli-Venezia Giulia 67,9 6 66,3 11 70,5 13
Sardinia 56,0 19 60,3 18 69,6 14
Piedmont 67,1 7 67,1 12 69,1 15
Apulia 55,6 20 60,0 19 67,7 16
Calabria 56,9 18 64,2 15 67,5 17
Abruzzo 64,5 14 63,9 14 67,3 18
Campania 54,0 22 57,2 22 66,8 19
Latium 61,6 17 63,9 12 66,7 20
Basilicata 65,1 13 58,3 20 65,9 21
Sicily 54,5 21 58,2 21 60,9 22
Moreover, living in small towns seems to be an advantage, as shown by the share of

satisfied people in towns under 2,000 inhabitants, which comes to 71.8 percent, and in
those
between 2,000 and 10,000 inhabitants where it reaches almost 70 percent. In contrast,
in large cities there are values even five percentage points lower. Confirming this, and
making a ranking of the regions with respect to decreasing values of the satisfaction
indicator, it can be seen that over time some areas in the North, such as the
autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano and Valle d'Aosta, which are also
characterized by a territory rich in small towns, always rank in the top places, with levels
well above the national average. In the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, the share of
people satisfied with their leisure time is the highest, at 78.8 percent. In last place is
Sicily, with 60.9 percent. By contrast, in 2000, the region in last place was Campania,
with 54.0 percent. Worsening is the ranking of Lazio, which in 2000 was in seventeenth
place, in 2010 had risen to twelfth, and in 2020 is in twentieth place. Piedmont also
shows a deterioration starting from seventh place in 2000 to fifteenth in 2020.
Studies on subjective well-being highlight the strong association between high levels of
educational qualification and positive perception of life in general and its different aspects12.
Data for 2020 confirm this evidence, especially when relating lower levels of educational
attainment to higher levels. Among women, the effect appears amplified, with 22.5
percentage points of difference between those who hold an elementary school license
or no degree and those who hold a bachelor's degree or higher. A gap also exists
among men, but it is smaller, at about 18 percentage points (Figure 7.3).
Figure 7.3 - People aged 25 and older who say they are very or fairly satisfied with leisure time by gender and
educational qualification. Year 2020 (percentage values)
Males Females
90 85,6 83,6
78,6
75,9
80
70,9
67,3 67,0
7 0
61,1
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Elementary school Junior high Diploma Bachelor's
diploma/ No school degree or
educational more
Source: Istat,qualification
Aspects of Daily Life Survey
7.3 Leisure satisfaction compared with other areas of satisfaction

Satisfaction with life as a whole is one of the indicators used for va- luation of
individuals' subjective well-being in its cognitive component and measures how much
individuals feel they are living a life in accordance with their expectations, beyond the
12 Istat (2018).
momentary contingencies. Thus, the reported level of satisfaction represents the

attainment of one's goals and the fulfillment of one's aspirations, compared with one's
ideals, past experiences, or the achievements of other people who are considered
benchmarks.13
What is the role of satisfaction with specific aspects of life on overall life
satisfaction? And among satisfaction with different life domains, how does satisfaction
with leisure time rank and what weight does it exert on overall life satisfaction? To answer
these questions, a logistic regression model was constructed, in which overall satisfaction
with life14 was taken as the dependent variable and the effects exerted by different
components of satisfaction15 on satisfaction in general for the years 2015, 2019, and 202016
were estimated (Figure 7.4).
Figure 7.4 - Effect of satisfaction in specific life domains on the high level of overall satisfaction (score 8-10) of people aged 14 and older
for the years 2015, 2019 and 2020 (logistic regression model: average marginal effects)
2015 2019 2020
Satisfied with friendly relationships vs

Not satisfied with friendly relationships
Satisfied with leisure time vs Not

satisfied with leisure time
Satisfied with family relationships vs

Not satisfied with family relationships
Satisfied with health vs Not

satisfied with health
Satisfied with economic situation vs Not

satisfied with economic situation
0 0,05 0,1 0,15 0,2 0,25
Analysis of the results shows that among the different dimensions of life satisfaction,
satisfaction with leisure time, along with satisfaction with relationships with friends,
always has the lowest impact on life satisfaction in general.
Family-related aspects, as well as those related to health and economic situation,
remain a priority over time. Although increasing compared to 2015, the effects of
satisfaction with leisure time in 2020 decrease, as expected, compared to the previous
year, while there is an increase in the effects related to satisfaction with family
relationships and one's health. In 2020, the pandemic from COVID-19 put a strain on
people's social lives, and on the overall evaluation, presumably, aspects such as health
and family weighed more heavily.
13 Cicerchia and Seia (2021); De Salvo et al. (2019); Istat (2012).

14 The variable satisfaction with daily life was made dichotomous by discriminating against the high level of
Overall satisfaction (scores greater than or equal to 8).
15 The dimensions explored (covariates of the model) are the questions from the satisfaction battery for various life
domains of the "Aspects of Daily Life" survey, surveyed using four modes (Very Much, Somewhat, Little, Not at all)
in the model made dichotomous (Little/Fairly vs Very/Fairly).
16 Istat (2015).
7.4 Activities practiced in leisure time and satisfaction with this area of daily life
One of the ways in which leisure can be studied is to examine the variety of activities
typically carried out in this sphere, identifying and characterizing who engages in them and
with what intensity17 and assessing their relationship to the satisfaction expressed with leisure.
The literature on the subject suggests the existence of a positive relationship
between the activities practiced and the individual's level of well-being and overall
satisfaction with life and more specifically satisfaction with leisure time. Satisfaction with
leisure time, in fact, in addition to depending on the structural characteristics of the
population and contextual conditions varies precisely according to the way leisure time is
spent and thus on the activities that are pursued.
Among the positive relationships we find that of sociability, which has a significant
positive effect on well-being. Confirmation is also seen for physical activity and sports,
the benefits of which extend beyond the boundaries of the individual, promoting a sense
of community and also favoring interpersonal trust. In addition, the environments within
which sports and physical activity take place can also in turn contribute to the building
of social relationships, still strengthening the effects on satisfaction and quality of life18.
Among the positive relationships we find that of cultural participation19.
Considering leisure activities, among the factors that emerge as most determinant of
leisure satisfaction are social relationships with friends. Indeed, meeting often with friends
determines positive effects on leisure satisfaction with differences in gender and age
group.
In 2020, among people who see their friends every day, the share of those very or
fairly satisfied with their leisure time is 79.1 percent and drops to 72.5 percent among
the working population aged 45-64 in which evidently the availability of leisure time itself
is lower than other age groups. In fact, for those over 64 and younger 18-24 year olds, the
share of those satisfied is higher at 81.8 percent and 83.5 percent, respectively. Among
men who see friends daily, the share of those satisfied with their leisure time is slightly
higher than those of women (79.4 percent compared to 78.7 percent). For the
population aged 65 and older, the gender difference is more pronounced: 84.2 percent
of men who daily see friends say they are satisfied with their leisure time compared to 78
percent of women (Figure 7.5).
Compared with 2019, differences in gender and age clas- sions remain confirmed in
2020, however, the percentage of people satisfied with their available leisure time
among those who have daily relationships with their friends in 2019 was higher than in
2020 (80.7 percent), a year that especially in the early months was characterized by the
numerous closures of recreational activities and the restrictive measures introduced to
counter and contain the pandemic.
Analyzing the other levels of intensity in seeing friends, for 2020, among those who
say they see friends "once or more times a week," there is a 75.4 percent (73.1 percent in
2019) share of people satisfied with their leisure time, which drops to 61.4 percent (59.5
percent in 2019) when the frequency decreases
17 Freysinger et al. (2013).
18 Bologna and Staffieri (2021).
19 Cicerchia, Bologna, and Staffieri (2019).
to "a few times a month or a few times a year" and reaches the lowest value among those
who say they never see friends or have no friends (48.9 percent; 46.2 percent in 2019).
Figure 7.5 - People aged 18 and older who say they are very or fairly satisfied with leisure time by intensity of
hanging out with friends and age group. Year 2020 (percentage values)
All days 1 or more times a week A few times a month/Sometimes 'yearNever/Has no friends
90
83,5 81,8 81,8
78,3 78,2 79,1
80 74,4 74,6 75,4
71,7 72,5 72,8
70 65,3
59,6 61,4
58,9
60
50,7 51,0
48,9
50 46,7
40
30
20
10
0
18 24 25 44 45 64 65 plus Total
The evidence from the data analysis confirms the protective role of sociability on the
's well-being20.
individual
Also confirmed are the protective and positive effects of physical-sports practice on
satisfaction. In 2020, among people who continuously practice sports, the share of those
very or fairly satisfied with their leisure time is 77.7 percent and falls to 76 percent among
the active population aged 44-64 and 75.7 among 25-44 year olds in whom evidently the
very availability of leisure time and the possibility of continuously practicing sports is lower
than other age groups. In fact, for the over-64s and younger 18-24 year olds, the share of
those satisfied is higher at 83.3 percent and 82.3 percent, respectively. No significant gender
differences are observed for the total population. For people aged 65 and older, however,
the gender difference is clear: 84.6 percent of men who participate in sports continuously
report being satisfied with their leisure time compared to 81.3 percent of women.
In 2019, the percentage of people satisfied with their leisure time among those who
participate in sports continuously is 77.4 percent just below the 2020 value (Figure 7.6).
Among those who engage in sports occasionally, a lower share of people satisfied
with their leisure time than with continuous practice is observed for 2020 at 71.9
percent (71.6 percent in 2019), which decreases to 69.2 percent (68.5 percent in 2019)
when some physical activity is taken into account and reaches the lowest value (61.0
percent) among those who say they do no sports or physical activity at all (59.2
percent in 2019).
20 Buntinx and Schalock (2010); Mahar et al. (2013).

Figure 7.6 - People aged 18 and older who say they are very or fairly satisfied with leisure time by intensity of sports
practice and age group. Year 2020 (percentage values)
Continuous sports practice n Occasional sports practice Some physical activity But
100
90
82,3 83,0 83,3
80,1
77,3 75,7 76,0 76,5 76,1 77,7
80
70,3 71,9
69,0 69,2
70 66,2 65,2
62,7 61,0
58,4 60,3
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
18 24 25 44 45 64 65 plus Total
Cultural participation outside the home21 (going, to the cinema, theater, museums,
etc.), is positively associated with satisfaction with leisure time, although a reduction in
the positive effect is reported in 2020, compared to previous years, considering the
restrictions due to the pandemic that made it difficult, especially in some periods, to
carry out these activities22.
In 2020, among people who took part two or more times in cultural activities
outside the home, the share of those very or fairly satisfied with their leisure time is
75.9 percent; it drops to 72.6 percent among the working population aged 44-64. For
the over-64s and younger 18-24 year olds, in fact, the share of the satisfied is higher,
reaching 83.4 percent. In 2019, the proportion of people satisfied with their available
leisure time among those who had participated in cultural acts was 74.4 percent,
which was lower than the value recorded in 2020 (Figure 7.7).
As already observed for sports participation, a significant gender difference is also
observed for cultural participation outside the home among people aged 65 and older:
in 2020, 85.5 percent of men who participated in two or more cultural activities said
they were satisfied with their leisure time, compared with 81.4 percent of women.
Among those who did not participate in cultural activities or did less than two
cultural activities outside the home, the share of people satisfied with their leisure time
(65.3 percent in 2020 and 63.7 percent in 2019) is lower than among those who par-
ticipated more intensively in cultural activities.
21 The analysis was carried out with the help of the overall indicator of out-of-home cultural participation
developed as part of Istat's Bes project, which considers the share of people aged 6 years and older who had
two or more cultural activities outside the home in the 12 months preceding the interview. There are 6 activities
considered: went at least four times to the cinema; went at least once to: theater; museums and/or exhibitions;
archaeological sites, monuments; classical music concerts, opera; concerts of other music, respectively.
22 See Chapter 4 for a more in-depth discussion of cultural participation outside the home.
Figure 7.7 - People aged 18 and over who say they are very or fairly satisfied with leisure time by number of cultural
participation activities done outside the home and age group. Year 2020 (percentage values)
plus
2 or more cultural activities outside the home None or 1 cultural

activity outside the home
100
90
83,4 83,4
78,9
80 75,9
73,9 72,6
70 66,1 65,2 65,3
62,7
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
18 24 25 44 45 64 65 plus Total
The relationship between reading and satisfaction with leisure time is also positive:
those who read at least four books in a year or newspapers three or more times a week23
are more likely to feel satisfied with their leisure time than those who read neither
books nor newspapers. Just in 2020, this positive effect, having not been affected by
restrictions in any way, is greater than in previous years. In 2020, among people who
read four or more books in a year or newspapers three or more times a week, the
share of those very or fairly satisfied with their leisure time is 72.8 percent and drops
to 70.5 percent for the working population aged 44-64 (Figure 7.8). For those over 64,
in fact, the share of those satisfied is higher: 76.1 percent. Among men who read, the
share of those satisfied with their leisure time is slightly higher than for women (73.9
percent compared to 71.8 percent). Again, for people aged 65 and older, the gender
difference is, however, clear: 79.5 percent of men who read four or more books in a
year or newspapers three or more times a week say they are satisfied with their leisure
time compared with 72.6 percent of women. In 2019, the percentage of people
satisfied with their leisure time among those who have read, which amounts to 71.7
percent, is lower than the 2020 figure. Among those who did not read books and
newspapers, a lower share of people satisfied with their leisure time is found for 2020
than among those who did, at 65.5 percent (64.4 percent in 2019).
23 The analysis was carried out with the help of the overall reading indicator (of books and newspapers) developed as
part of Istat's Bes project, which considers the share of people aged 6 years and older who read at least four books
a year (print books, ebooks, online books, audiobooks) for reasons not strictly school or professional and/or read
newspapers (print and/or online) at least three times a week.
Figure 7.8 - People aged 18 and over who say they are very or fairly satisfied with leisure time by book and/or
newspaper reading habit and gender. Year 2020 (percentage values)
Masch
4 plus hybrid n e/ daily 3 more times week
Has read neither books nor newspapers or has read less than 4 books in a year and newspapers less than 3 times a
week
100
90
80 73,9
71,8
67,7 68,4
70 63,5 65,5
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Masch Females Males and Females

In 2020, the share of people aged 14 years and older who say they are very or fairly satisfied
with their leisure time is 69.3 percent and, while well over half the population, is small
compared to other areas of satisfaction (family relationships, health, and friendships).
However, the trend over the past decade is clearly upward. The analysis shows that it is
mainly males, young people and people aged 65 and older who are satisfied with their leisure
time. There are notable differences between different parts of the country with higher levels of
satisfaction among residents of the North and among those living in small towns.
Sociality confirms its protective role toward leisure satisfaction. Sports practice, cultural
participation outside the home and reading (of books and newspapers) are, in addition,
dimensions that positively influence leisure satisfaction.
The data allow us to capture important aspects of quality of life, based on indications
from people's perceptual and self-assessment dimensions. During 2020, the first year of the
pandemic, there was still a positive assessment of how people spent their leisure time,
although in much of this observation year, as a result of the restrictions due to the COVID-19
pandemic, people were less likely to attend cultural venues and engage in leisure activities outside
the home. In 2021, however, as a result of the continuation of the pandemic and the restrictions
on the ability to cultivate social relationships and engage in leisure activities outside the home, it
is conceivable that satisfaction with leisure time will have worsened.
Beyond the pandemic contingency, in which the long inaccessibility of biblio- techies,
cinemas, theaters, concert halls, sports facilities, and so on, there is also to consider the
scarcity and uneven distribution of cultural garrisons on the territory that have characterized
our country even before the dissemination of COVID-19.
Satisfaction with leisure time helps to delineate critical areas for which structural policy
actions are needed to remove barriers and facilitate cultural participation and social life.
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137
GLOSSARY
Audiobook
Audio recording of a book read aloud by one or more actors, from a reader (speaker),
or from a speech synthesis engine.
Ebook
Electronic book (or electronic book) is a book in digital format that can be accessed using a
Ebook reader (among the most popular IPad and Smartphone and, in general, any latest
generation enabled pc, tablet or cell phone).
Overall indicator of book and newspaper reading

People aged 6 and older who read at least four books a year (print books, ebooks, books
online, audiobooks) for reasons not strictly educational or professional and/or have read
newspapers (print and/or online) at least three times a week.
Weak readers
People aged 6 years and older who have read up to three books in the 12 months preceding the interview, by
reasons not strictly educational or professional.
Book readers
People aged 6 years and older who have read at least one book in the 12 months preceding the interview,
For reasons not strictly educational or professional.
Newspaper readers
People aged 15 years and older who read newspapers at least once a week.
Strong readers
People aged 6 years and older who read 12 books or more in the 12 months preceding the interview,
For reasons not strictly educational or professional.
Paper book
Book consisting of sheets of paper, printed or handwritten, bound together in a certain order
And enclosed by a cover.
Online book
Book in digital format available on the Internet for reading only. It differs from a
Ebook that can instead be downloaded and read locally on a pc, smartphone, or e-reader.
Generally, information is presented in a page format, and pages are usually available
for sequential reading (although it is possible to switch to another page using a mouse,
keyboard, or other controller).
Cultural participation outside the home

Persons 6 years and older who engaged in two or more cultural activities outside the home in the
12 months
preceding the interview. There were 6 activities considered: went to the movies at least
four times; went at least once respectively to: theater; museums and/or exhibitions; ar-
cheological sites, monuments; classical music concerts, opera; concerts of other music.
Prosumer
A consumer who is himself a producer, or who by consuming contributes to pro-
ductivity. The term is a composite formed from the English words producer and
consumer. The practice of being both producer and consumer is called prosumerism.
Leisure satisfaction
People aged 14 years and older who say they are very or fairly satisfied with leisure time.
Satisfaction with life

People aged 14 years and older who expressed a life satisfaction score between 8 and 10.
Streaming
A system for transmitting audio and video over the Internet, which allows you to listen to and
watch the desired content without having to wait until it has completely downloaded.
Tourism
The set of activities and services concerning people moving outside their
"usual environment" for personal or business reasons. Therefore, all non-habitual travel,
with overnight stay (travel) or without (excursions), falls within the scope of tourism
flows. The identification of a person's usual environment makes it possible to correctly
distinguish the tourism phenomenon from mobility, which is outside the scope of
observation of tourism demand. Therefore, the following are excluded: commuting for
work, study or family obligations; migratory movements, including seasonal ones;
transfers of residence (even if temporary), including transfers of diplomats and military
personnel (and their families), as well as movements of refugees, nomads, etc.
Cultural vacations
Personal travel for pleasure, leisure and relaxation, where the main activity is cultural.
Vacation landscaping
Personal trips for pleasure, recreation and relaxation, where the main activity is visiting natural beauty
of the place.
Journey
Displacement carried out, for personal or business reasons, outside the municipality in which
one lives and
involving at least one overnight stay at the place visited. This excludes travel and trips
made to places visited every week (considered usual se- cording to the definition of
tourism adopted for the tourist demand), as well as trips of duration
Glossary 139
greater than one year. In these cases, in fact, travel does not constitute tourist flow since
the location visited is associated with the place where one lives. Also excluded are
both trips made under duress (trips to move; trips to go to vote for elections/
referendums; trips due to natural disasters; etc.) and those against which there is a
contract of employment in the place of destination (seasonal work, substitute
teaching, other temporary work).
Personal or vacation travel

Travel undertaken for prevailing reasons of pleasure, recreation or rest; for visiting relatives or friends;
for religious reasons/pilgrimage; for spa or health treatment. In the presentation of the
results, according to its duration, vacation stay is divided into:
• Short vacation, when the length of stay is less than 4 nights;
• Long vacation, when the length of stay is 4 or more nights.
Travel for business or professionalir

Travel undertaken for prevailing business reasons, such as missions; attendance at conferences;
business meetings or acting as a representative; teaching or other professional activities.
Employment at the place of destination (seasonal work, substitute teaching, other
temporary work) is excluded.
Video On Demand
A term borrowed from English that literally translated means video on demand, in
VOD acronym. It is an interactive service of television that allows users to enjoy, for free
or for a fee, an entertainment product (music, movies, TV series) at any time and place via
an Internet connection. It is based on the infor- matic concept of on demanding.

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FREE TIME.

Content edited by: Emanuela Bologna and Miria Savioli.

Unless otherwise stated, all published content is

It is therefore possible to freely reproduce,

Images, logos (including the Istat logo),

1. Household spending on cultural consumption 11

2. Television and radio between tradition and innovation 27

3. Reading books and newspapers 45

5. How the Internet changes leisure time 95

6. From sport for all to sport for everyone 113

7. Satisfaction with leisure time measure of well-being 125

1 The volume was edited by Emanuela Bologna and Miria Savioli.

13 Symbola Foundation - Unioncamere (ed.) (2021). I am Culture - 2021 Report.

1. HOUSEHOLD SPENDING ON CULTURAL

However, this dematerialization, as well as the inability or objective difficulty to

1.2 Pandemic and household spending on culture

1.3 Household spending on culture in Italy

2.648€ 2.604€ 2.640€

Source: Istat, Household Expenditure Survey.

4,5 5,0 5,1

Food products andClothing andHousing, Transpor Recreation,Receptive

Source: Istat, Household Expenditure Survey.

Even worse is the situation when considering average household spending at

Source: Istat, Household Expenditure Survey.

expenditure chapter Recreational and cultural services do not include spending on

However, it should be remembered that, under special conditions, many cultural

1.4 Cultural tourism in Italy: a shared definition

6 United Nations World Tourism Organization - UNWTO (2019). https://doi.org/10.18111/9789284420858.

1.5 Residents' cultural and scenic tourism

Source: Istat, Travel and Vacation Survey

Att tà t B t de uog D t t po A ttt

3 tt 10,6 12,0 65,2 12,2

4p tt 4 .3 14,2 74,9 6,5

TOTAL 6 .3 13,6 71,6 8,6

t ia 17, 9,3 59,3 14,3

Et 7,0 13,3 70,7 9,0

Source: Istat, Travel and Vacation Survey

"long," those of four nights or more.

Source: Istat, Travel and Vacation Survey

1.7 Cultural and scenic tourism during summer 2020

Source: Istat, Travel and Vacation Survey

1.8. Final considerations

2. TELEVISION AND RADIO BETWEEN TRADITION AND

Source: ISTAT calculations from Italian radio television (RAI) data.

Source: Istat, Aspects of Daily Life Survey

Radio is an entertainment and information tool that tends to involve a smaller

2.2 Television and radio across generations

to family patterns and patterns transmitted in other contexts, "6 it is therefore

They watch television A t d

Source: Istat, Aspects of Daily Life Survey

Source: Istat, Aspects of Daily Life Survey

Source: Istat, Aspects of Daily Life Survey

2.4 Time spent on television and radio

Source: Istat, Aspects of Daily Life Survey

9 Istat survey "Citizens and Leisure," Year 2015: https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/5538.

Source: Istat, Aspects of Daily Life Survey

Source: Istat, Aspects of Daily Life Survey

11 Auditel, Censis (ed.) (2021).

Source: Istat, Aspects of Daily Life Survey

Source: Istat, Aspects of Daily Life Survey

Source: Istat, Aspects of Daily Life Survey

From 10 00 50 000 b t t F0 000 b t t ()

Source: Istat, Aspects of Daily Life Survey