25 Community Newspapers in COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER READERSHIP 25 Community Newspapers in NOVA SCOTIA NEWFOUNDLAND LABRADOR

Community Newspapers Deliver Highest reach of mass media Reach all target groups including the most desirable ones Reach those not reached by dailies or radio Regional and ‘national dailies’ do not provide significant reach beyond their core areas

Community Newspapers Deliver Readership of community newspapers is strong despite the size of the market – 70.4% of the ComBase sample read the most recent issue of their community newspaper These readers are loyal, with most reading all 4 of the last 4 issues They read with attention – reading most or all of each issue Community newspapers get high ratings from their readers

The Age of Community Newspapers One billion dollar business 1000 titles Circulation of 11.2 million copies weekly Household penetration 70% Highest reach of any other medium* Today, we’re going to prove that to you Let me begin by describing our sector – it’s larger than many think. In terms of revenue, it represents a one billion dollar advertising business across over 1,000 titles in English Canada. We have a weekly distribution of over 11.2 million copies a week with an estimated household penetration of 70%. As you’ll see today, we have the highest single-insertion reach of any medium. And community newspapers relationship with their readers can be characterized by the word ‘heartspace’. What do we mean by that? We mean that its publisher is that community’s ambassador and largest booster. He or she is often: the coach of the hockey team, head of the chamber of commerce, United Way fund raiser and, most important, government lobbyist on behalf of that community. Inevitably, he or she is the heart, soul and face of the community. It’s no wonder that community newspapers are a part of the every day life of millions of Canadians in a way that no other medium can claim.  

WHAT IS ? The Most Comprehensive Print Study in the World! 400 markets and sub-markets 24,000+ interviews All provinces represented 700 publications – dailies, alternative, ethnic, shoppers, agricultural publications Title- and market-specific 900 radio stations Demos and readership In developing the methodology for measuring our medium, we tried to find examples of other national readership studies in other countries, with little success. We realized that not only has a title and market specific study of community newspapers not been done in many, if any country, but that ComBase was the largest in terms of the number of markets and titles it measured. It has 400 markets…More interviews in a single wave than any other…

THE RESULTS ARE IN… National From the Queen Charlottes to Nunavut to Labrador…     More Canadians can be reached with one ad in community newspapers than with any other medium Nearly ¾ of English Canadians have read the last issue of their community newspaper. That’s true in markets, large and small, urban and rural, across Canada. Our average readers per copy is 2.1

THE RESULTS ARE IN… National 70% read last weekday issue of their community newspaper 48% read yesterday’s weekday daily 25% of our readers are exclusive 40% of Canadians are light TV viewers 26% of Canadians did not listen to radio yesterday 69% read their last weekday issue of their community newspaper, growing to 72% when the weekend editions are taken into account. We reach all demographic groups, dispelling notion that our readers aren’t the most desirable Our readers read with attention and dedication, with most reading at least 3 of the last 4 issues and the majority reading all or most of each issue. Many can’t be reached with a daily newspaper. This pattern repeats itself at both the regional and market level.

THE RESULTS ARE IN… Atlantic (34 Newspapers) 57% read last weekday issue of their community newspaper 28% read yesterday’s weekday daily 27% of our readers are exclusive This region is quite unique. 97% of its members are paid, with distribution over very large geographies. They’re more like magazines than newspapers in this respect and their markets are hundreds of miles apart. This made readership measurement a challenge since finding core markets was more difficult. The regional numbers in the Atlantic are very much affected by the St. John’s Express, the 800-pound elephant in our market list. The population of this CMA represents over 40% of the population in our sample, therefore the Express’ reach brought down the average in the region overall. However, the Express still beat out the daily in St. John’s. Without this paper, readership in this region reaches the 70% level as it does in the other regions you’ve seen. Despite this, readership of community newspapers is higher than for daily newspapers and the percentage of exclusive readers is very high. Again the story is better told on a market by market level. The Pictou (NS) Advocate has a 73% average issue reach. The Beacon in Gander (NFLD) has a 74% average issue reach and so on.

THE RESULTS ARE IN… Nova Scotia (15 Newspapers) 69% read last weekday issue of their community newspaper 44% read yesterday’s weekday daily 27% of our readers are exclusive As I noted earlier, the region is quite different province by province. In Nova Scotia, our readership is nearly as high as the national average, and certainly much higher than the daily newspapers. Again, the level of exclusive readership for community newspapers in Nova Scotia is as high as most areas.

THE RESULTS ARE IN… Newfoundland (16 Newspapers) 53% read last weekday issue of their community newspaper 22% read yesterday’s weekday daily 27% of our readers are exclusive In Newfoundland, the impact of the Express can be see, yet overall, community newspapers are better read across the 16 markets we measured here than are the dailies.

Community Newspaper Readership Results Outline Readership Overview Demographics How Much of the Paper is Read Number of Issues Read Preferred Community Newspaper Media Habits – Newspaper, Radio, TV Exclusive Readership

Readership Overview Survey found that readership of community newspapers is much higher than readership of daily newspapers A vast majority of adults report reading ANY community newspaper On average, in Atlantic Canada, 27% readers report reading ONLY community newspapers and NOT a daily newspaper. Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – BasePop (wghtpop) (wghtpop)

Readership Overview Digby Courier Market Area (NS) Readership of community newspapers in Market is much higher than readership of daily newspapers (65%) 88% of adults report reading ANY community newspaper And only 30% report reading ONLY community newspapers and NOT a daily newspaper Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – 1700

Grand Falls-Windsor Advertiser (Nfld.) Readership Overview Grand Falls-Windsor Advertiser (Nfld.) Readership of community newspapers in Grand Falls-Windsor is much higher than readership of daily newspapers (20%) 55% of adults report reading ANY community newspaper And 42% report reading ONLY community newspapers and NOT a daily newspaper Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – 15,400 ( wghtpop ) ( wghtpop )

Demos-Gender & Age Berwick Register (NS) % of Readers Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – 9200

Demos-Gender & Age Gander Market Area (Nfld.) Telegram Beacon % of Readers Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – 9800 ( wghtpop )

Demos-HHI & Home Ownership Kentville Advertiser (NS) % of Readers Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – 8200 **May not total 100% due to exclusion of “Refused/Not Stated” re sponses

Demos-HHI & Home Ownership Pilot Market Area (Nfld.) % of Readers Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – 10,700 **May not total 100% due to exclusion of “Refused/Not Stated” re sponses

Demos-Employment & Marital Status % of Readers Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – 2100 **May not total 100% due to exclusion of “Refused/Not Stated” re sponses

Demos-Employment & Marital Status Pilot Market Area (Nfld.) % of Readers Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – 10,700 **May not total 100% due to exclusion of “Refused/Not Stated” re sponses

How Much of the Paper is Read Readers of each paper were asked how much they read the paper - All or Most % of Readers Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – BasePop (wghtpop) **May not total 100% due to exclusion of “Refused/Not Stated” responses

How Much of the Paper is Read Yarmouth Market Area (NS) 89% of Yarmouth Vanguard readers tend to read All or Most of the paper 50% of Chronicle-Herald readers tend to read All or Most of the paper Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – 12000 **May not total 100% due to exclusion of “Refused/Not Stated” re sponses

How Much of the Paper is Read Packet Market Area (Nfld.) 73% of The Packet readers tend to read All or Most of the paper 29% of The Telegram readers tend to read All or Most of the paper % of Readers Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – 15,400 ( wghtpop ) **May not total 100% due to exclusion of “Refused/Not Stated” re sponses

Number of Issues Read Community newspaper readers are loyal Readers were asked how many of the last issues they read. % of Readers Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – BasePop (wghtpop) **May not total 100% due to exclusion of “Refused/Not Stated” responses

Number of Issues Read Digby Courier (NS) 82% of Digby Courier readers read all 4 of the last 4 issues % of Readers Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – 1700 **May not total 100% due to exclusion of “Refused/Not Stated” re sponses

Number of Issues Read Southern Gazette Market Area (Nfld.) 84% of Southern Gazette readers read all 4 of the last 4 issues Source: ComBase 2003 National Study % of Readers *Base Population – 7500 ( wghtpop ) **May not total 100% due to exclusion of “Refused/Not Stated” re sponses

Preferred Newspaper Hants Journal (NS) The Hants Journal is the preferred community newspaper in Market. Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – 3300

Preferred Newspaper Southern Gazette Market Area (Nfld.) Southern Gazette is the preferred community newspaper the Southern Gazette Market Area 88% of adults report Southern Gazette as their preferred paper. Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – 7500 ( wghtpop )

Media Habits – Newspaper and Radio Yarmouth Market Area (NS) Yarmouth Vanguard outperforms all other media One insertion in Yarmouth Vanguard reaches more than all radio stations combined station (66% vs. 60%) And to reach the 60% listening to Any Radio Station you would have to buy all 6 Yarmouth Market Area stations! AND, 60% of the population cannot be reached with radio advertising – Did Not Listen Yesterday (24%) or listened to CBC (36%) Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – 12000

Media Habits – Newspaper and Radio Grand Falls -Windsor Advertiser (Nfld.) The Grand Falls Advertiser outperforms all other media One insertion in The Grand Falls Advertiser reaches more than all radio stations combined station (66% vs. 60%) And to reach the 60% listening to Any Radio Station you would have to buy all 6 Market stations! AND, 60% of the population cannot be reached with radio advertising – Did Not Listen Yesterday (24%) or listened to CBC (36%) Source: ComBase 2003 National Study *Base Population – 15,400 ( wghtpop )

– Media Habits Television and Radio Monitor -Examiner (NS) 38% of Market adults fall into the lightest Radio listening category (quintiles 1 and 2) and only 38% fall into heavy Radio listening 35% of the population falls into the lightest Television viewing quintiles (quintiles 1 and 2) and only 24% reporting heavy TV viewing Lightest Heaviest Source: ComBase 2003 National Study – Radio and Television Quintiles *Base Population – 2100

– Media Habits Television and Radio Gander Market Area (Nfld.) 36% of Gander Market Area adults fall into the lightest Radio listening category (quintiles 1 and 2) and only 15% fall into heavy Radio listening 41% of the population falls into the lightest Television viewing quintiles (quintiles 1 and 2) and only 20% reporting heavy TV viewing Lightest Heaviest Source: ComBase 2003 National Study – Radio and Television Quintiles *Base Population – 9800 ( wghtpop )

27% of adults 18+ are exclusive readers to our community newspapers Exclusive Readership NOVA SCOTIA NEWFOUNDLAND LABRADOR 27% of adults 18+ are exclusive readers to our community newspapers

YOUR ADVERTISING DECISION JUST GOT A LOT EASIER! Community newspapers have come of age Reaching nearly three quarters of the population with each issue, they’re the last mass medium in Canada WELCOME TO THE NEW AGE OF COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS! We will have another round of markets – mostly in Manitoba – ready for release next summer. More newspapers are joining ComBase every day, making us the most valuable planning tool you will use every day. And next fall, the second wave of the national study starts again. If you’re an IMS or Harris print subscriber, watch for the data next week and note that the Pilot Markets which include Toronto are still available to you. Four main points to remember: readership of community newspapers is very high – we provide the largest single-insertion reach of any other medium It is consistent across all markets, large and small, urban and rural We reach significant portions of exclusive readers Paid or free is not a factor.

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25 Community Newspapers in COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER READERSHIP 25 Community Newspapers in NOVA SCOTIA NEWFOUNDLAND LABRADOR