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Newspapers (Apparently) Look Better From
the Front
According to The Media Audit, the percentage of
adults reading the front section of a daily newspaper from 2000 to 2005
increased from 51.4 to 53.0 percent in the 87 metropolitan markets surveyed
regularly.
Bob Jordan, president of International
Demographics, producer of The Media Audit, said "The same research shows the
percentage of adults reading the other 11 sections of a daily newspaper
declined." Jordan emphasizes readership, saying that "We measure readership
only."
The percentage of adults reading the front
section varies from 68.2 percent in the New Haven metropolitan area to 41.8
percent in the Las Vegas market. There are 16 markets where more than 60
percent of adults read a front page section regularly and 19 markets where
less than 50 percent read a front page section regularly.
The severest decline in percentage of readers
was in the weekend television guide book. Its percentage of readers dropped
from 31.9 to 23.1 between 2000 and 2005 because it appears to be the most
easily duplicated by other media.
Other section readership changes during this
period include:
 | The Movie/Entertainment section readership
dropped from 26.5 to 23.1 |
| Travel sections dropped from 19.6 to 17.7
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| Lifestyle/Fashion dropped from 23.7 to 21.7.
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| Other sections lost about one percentage
point. |
Says Jordan, "... Five years without growth is a
substantial problem."
The demographic profile of the front page
readership shows the group to be better educated and more affluent than the
general population.
| Those earning more than $50,000 in annual
household income index at 108 (100 is average of the general population).
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| Those earning more than $75,000 and more than
$100,000 have indexes of 113 and 117. |
| Those with liquid assets of $100,000 or more,
$250,000 or more, index at 126 and 135. |
| Those who traded stocks/bonds/securities
during the past year index at 125. |
| More than 74 percent of the front page reader
group says they voted during the past year in a local, state or national
election. |
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