• Print remains preferred channel to consume news media
• Readers most likely to be in the market for a house or mortgage
A total of 12.9 million Australians, or 70% of consumers, read news media on digital devices such as smartphones, tablets, mobiles or PCs, in May 2017, the latest emma™ (Enhanced Media Metrics Australia) data has shown.
Print, however, continues to be the preferred channel for consuming news media, with 13.3m people or 72% of the population reading newspapers in May.
Metro newspapers were read by 11m people, or 59% of consumers, in the same period. Regional and community news media brands were read by 7.1m people, or 38% of the population during May. Regional newspapers were read by 3.2m people (or 17% aged 14+), while community newspapers were read by 4.1m (or 22% aged 14+).
The emma data also reveals that readers are most likely to be in the market for a house or mortgage, compared to non-readers. A total of 2m readers intend to buy at least one property in the next 12 months and are 19% more likely to buy property than non-readers.
Of those readers, 1.5m intend to buy a property to live in, while 800,000 are looking to purchase an investment property and 700,000 a holiday home.
News media readers are also in the market for a mortgage, with 1.2m readers intending to obtain a mortgage in the next 12 months. Compared with non-readers, news media readers are 11% more likely to be in the market for a mortgage. In addition, more than half (816,000) the intended mortgages are for investment properties.
The Sydney Morning Herald is Australia’s highest-reaching title across all platforms with 5.07m readers. The Daily Telegraph followed, reaching 4.56m readers and the Herald Sun on 4.1m (see table below).
