Three-Quarters of Newspaper Readers Use Printed Circulars

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April 12, 2012 -- A new study from the Newspaper Association of America (NAA) shows that in an average week, 74% of all Internet users rely on local newspaper media – digital as well as print – as key sources of news and information, and are engaging with their local newspaper across multiple platforms.  

In addition, 73% have used newspaper printed circulars in the past 30 days; 54% are using more than one platform to access newspaper content in an average week; and, 67% use at least one of three common digital platforms – computers, smartphones or tablets – and they use each at multiple times over the course of the day for newspaper content.

Other key findings of the Newspaper Multiplatform Usage report, conducted independently by research-based strategic consulting firm Frank N. Magid Associates:

Strength and appeal of advertising in newspaper media:
 

• 73% have used newspaper printed circulars in the past 30 days, while 74% make a point of looking at printed Sunday circulars;

• 66% of digital newspaper media users act on digital ads;

• 61% of tablet users act on newspaper tablet ads, while 59% of smartphone users act on ads on that device;

• 61% say that newspapers provide more useful advertising;

• The majority of respondents prefer print circulars to digital:

Source: NAA, 2012
 

•  “I like to follow the local newspaper in whichever format is convenient for me” – 89% for print-only readers, 88% for print + digital readers and 91% for digital-only readers;

• “Newspapers provide a broad range of news and information in one place” – 90% for print-only readers, 85% for print + digital readers and 83% for digital-only readers;

• “Newspapers provide more local news” – 89% for print-only readers, 84% for print + digital readers and 86% for digital-only readers;

• “I want the depth and detail that newspapers provide” – 80% for print-only readers, 82% for print + digital readers and 73% for digital-only readers.

The study notes similarities between newspaper print readers and tablet users:
 

• 66% of print users and 60% of tablet users agree that their respective platform “is a relaxing way for me to read the newspaper.”

• 61% of print and 60 % of tablet users say newspapers “provide a satisfying reading experience for me.”

• 45% of print and 57% of tablet users say newspapers are “an easy way to get a complete view of the news.”

 
“The study demonstrates that advertisers can effectively reach a shopping audience across newspapers’ multiple platforms, said Caroline Little, NAA president and CEO. "Clearly, newspapers’ embrace of multiplatform strategies provides significant opportunities for audience and revenue growth.”
 

About: Took place November 2011-January 2012 -- 2,518 online interviews averaging 25 minutes among age 18+ adults nationwide screened for using, in the past seven days, at least one of four platforms for their local daily newspaper (either print, online, tablet, and/or smartphone) --1,896 print readers, 1,480 online readers, 864 smartphone readers, 734 tablet readers. Also: Additional brief, online 1,179-respondent survey to obtain targets to balance the four  platform groups properly and to enable weighting by gender, age, race, ethnicity and Census Region; reference is U.S. adult Internet users (around 76% of adults).