Bulletin of Culture and Household Entertainment Survey

The Bulletin of Culture and Household Entertainment Survey is a periodic field survey conducted by the General Authority for Statistics in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It measures the participation and attendance of individuals and families in cultural and entertainment activities and identifies their types. The survey targets individuals over fifteen years old in the Kingdom and was first launched in 2018.

The Bulletin of Culture and Household Entertainment Survey provides an overview of the culture and entertainment field in the Kingdom, contributing to the study of the current situation and tracking its progress toward the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, by supporting decision-makers in selecting appropriate programs and policies to deliver suitable services for families and individuals.

The survey includes statistics on reading books, newspapers, and magazines; statistics on television viewing and radio listening; statistics on cultural and entertainment activities and venues; statistics on national identity; and statistics related to culture and entertainment.

The Bulletin of Culture and Household Entertainment Survey aims to provide up-to-date statistical data on the participation and attendance of families and individuals in cultural and entertainment activities based on gender, nationality, educational status, age, and marital status. It seeks to identify the percentage of individuals participating in cultural activities, the percentage of individuals attending cultural events, and the reading and music listening habits of families and individuals.

The survey also aims to identify the percentage of individuals participating in entertainment activities, their attendance at entertainment events, the availability of home libraries among families and the types of books they contain, the percentage of individuals who read newspapers, magazines, and books, and the percentage of those who watch visual and audio content via television, radio, and the internet. It further explores the reasons for traveling abroad to visit cultural or entertainment venues, the types of cultural and entertainment activities individuals engage in during their free time, and the preferred language for reading, writing, speaking, watching, and listening among individuals.

The 2018 survey results revealed that 35.6 percent of households in the Kingdom have a home library, while 64.63 percent do not. Among administrative provinces, Riyadh Province ranked highest in terms of home library availability at 40.58 percent, followed by the Eastern Province at 37.72 percent. The percentage of males who read newspapers or magazines was 57.20 percent, compared to 49.12 percent for females. The survey highlighted the types of newspapers or magazines read by individuals across the Kingdom, revealing that electronic newspapers or magazines were the most popular, with 66.58 percent of readers preferring them. Additionally, the most visited cultural and entertainment venues by Saudi individuals in their area of residence were amusement parks and entertainment centers, with a visitation rate of 42.40 percent.

The 2023 survey results revealed that 80 percent of individuals over the age of fifteen had visited a cultural event or activity, while 90 percent had visited an entertainment event or activity. Additionally, 13 percent attended national events, and 11 percent visited cinemas. The survey also showed that 39 percent of Saudi individuals attended one of the Saudi entertainment seasons, compared to 36 percent of non-Saudis. Moreover, 37 percent of individuals had read at least one book in the past twelve months, while 21 percent read newspapers, and 7 percent read magazines.