The latest emma (Enhanced Media Metrics Australia) data shows that 9 in 10 consumers aged 14+ have read newspaper content in print or digital formats in the last month. Newspaper media now reaches 16.3 million Australians over a four-week period.
Digital readership grew 3% year-on-year to 11.6 million and print remains the main source of newspaper journalism for the majority of readers. Some 13.8 million consumers have picked up a newspaper in the last four weeks.
Metro publications continue to deliver impressive reach in major metro areas. Figures show that two thirds of consumers living in a city read a print metro newspaper in the last month.
Local newspaper readership is also strong, with regional newspapers drawing an audience of 3.2 million and suburban titles attracting 5 million readers in the last four weeks.
Mobile readership rises unabated, growing 18% (up 476,000) year-on-year to now reach 3.1 million over a four-week period. Further analysis of emma data shows that mobile newspaper content is particularly popular among some key consumer segments, including:
• One-in-three high earners with a salary $120,000+ per year accessed newspaper journalism on their mobile phone in the last four weeks.
• One-in-five consumers responsible for managing their household budget read newspaper content on their phone in the past month.
• Online shoppers are 26% more likely to read a newspaper on their mobile than the general population.
“The continued growth in mobile audience illustrates that the influence of newspaper journalism is transcending traditional media channels,” The Newspaper Works CEO Mark Hollands said.
“The quality of this audience is an important facet of the value newspaper media brings to advertisers.
“Print media remains the most popular form of consumption of news-publisher content, but it is clear that mobile – especially on social media – is becoming an increasingly vital part of the distribution of news and engagement with our readers.
“The consumer segments that are increasing their mobile consumption of news journalism indicate publishers are building enviable audiences who have spending power.
“The story is not confined to mobile, or digital media as a whole, of course. Print newspapers’ 13.8 million readers remains a powerful and engaged commercial option for advertisers.”
The Sydney Morning Herald has Australia’s highest cross platform reach with a total audience of 5.15 million readers followed by The Daily Telegraph with 4.2 million and the Herald Sun on 3.96 million.
The Herald Sun (Monday-Friday) has the largest average issue readership with 1.29 million followed by The Sunday Telegraph (1.12 million), the Saturday Herald Sun (1.08 million), the Sunday Herald Sun (1.02 million) and the Monday-Friday Daily Telegraph (990,000).
Source: The Newspaper Works