Roy Morgan: 80% Of Aussies Read Newspapers, As Readership Surges 3.2%
Roy Morgan has today released the latest readership report for Australian newspapers for the 12 months to March 2018 and its found 16.1 million or almost 80 per cent of Australians aged 14-plus now read or access newspapers in an average seven day period via print or online (website or app) platforms, an increase of 3.2 per cent from a year ago.You can read the full report here.
Four of Australia’s top five leading mastheads have grown their cross-platform audiences, with Melbourne’s The Age experiencing the strongest growth during the past year of over 10 per cent.
These are the latest findings from the Roy Morgan Single Source survey of 50,014 Australians aged 14-plus in the 12 months to March 2018.
Australia’s most widely read masthead is again the Sydney Morning Herald – with a cross-platform audience of 4,269,000, up 0.6 per cent from a year ago. This increases its lead over Sydney rival the Daily Telegraph which has a cross-platform audience of 3,301,000, up 0.1per cent in a year.
Melbourne daily The Age has experienced the fastest year–on-year growth of an impressive 10.9 per cent and now has a cross-platform audience of 3,102,000. While the Herald Sun is the only top five leading daily to not to grow its cross-platform audience, down 4.1 per cent to 2,982,000.
Australia’s two leading national mastheads have experienced divergent results over the past year. The Australian has grown its cross-platform audience by 4.7 per cent to 2,585,000 while the Australian Financial Review’s cross-platform audience has declined 5.2 per cent to 1,404,000.
Print Readership
Overall 7.3 million Australians read print newspapers, including over 5.2 million who read weekday issues, more than 4.4 million who read Saturday editions and nearly four million who read Sunday titles. Although print readership has declined year-on-year to the early part of 2018, the latest figures show 36.5 per cent of Australians are reading print newspapers. In today’s digitally-focused world they continue to be an important advertising medium to reach large numbers in key audiences.
At a state-level a bright spot was national broadsheet The Australian’s performance in New South Wales which increased its weekday readership by 15.1 per cent to an average issue readership of 107,000 and weekend edition readership by 12.6% to 170,00 in Australia’s largest state.
Weekend Newspaper Readership down, but AFR Weekend defies trend, up again
Australia’s leading weekend newspaper is again Sydney’s Sunday Telegraph with an average issue print readership of 878,000 – down 3.7 per cent over the past year – ahead of southern stablemate Melbourne’s Sunday Herald Sun which has a print readership of 825,000 (down 3.4 per cent).
Other major titles that declined include the Saturday Herald Sun down 5.7 per cent to a readership of 764,000, the Saturday Sydney Morning Herald down 4.1 per cent to a readership of 633,000, the Sunday Mail in Queensland down a sizeable 13.7 per cent to a readership of 619,000 and the Saturday Age which was down 4.9 per cent to a readership of 616,000.
The AFR Weekend increased its readership by an impressive 9.6 per cent to 137,000. Driving the growth for the The AFR Weekend was the state-level increase in Victorian readership, up 32.4 per cent to 49,000.
Readership of national broadsheet The Weekend Australian was down 4.4 per cent to 608,000 while Schwarz Media’s The Saturday Paper readership was virtually unchanged at 110,000.
Newspaper Inserted Magazines: Stellar & Financial Review Magazine up 16 per cent
Relative newcomer Stellar increased its print readership by an impressive 16.6 per cent to 1,051,000 in the year to March 2018. Good Weekend remains Australia’s most widely read newspaper inserted magazine with print readership of 1,167,000 (down 10.2 per cent).
Also performing strongly over the past year were the Financial Review Magazine which increased its readership 17.3 per cent to 401,000, stablemate Boss magazine now with a readership of 150,000 and the Sunday Herald Sun TV Guide which was up 4.8 per cent to 498,000.
Other leading newspaper inserted magazines did not match these performances with Sunday Life on 695,000 (down 11.6 per cent) and the Weekend Australian Magazine on 650,000 (down 10.8 per cent).
Newcastle Herald, Illawarra Mercury and Launceston Exmainer grow readership
The Newcastle Herald is Australia’s leading regional weekday masthead in the year to March 2018 growing its print readership by 5.3 per cent to 79,000 over the past year. Other regional titles to grow their print readership over the past year included the Illawarra Mercury up 8.3 per cent to 39,000 and the Launceston Examiner up 15.2 per cent to 38,000.
Commenting on the findings, Roy Morgan CEO, Michele Levine, said: “A record high 16.1 million Australians 14-plus access newspapers in an average seven day period either in print, or online via website or app. This represents a healthy increase of 3.2 per cent in cross-platform audience size with an extra 500,000 Australians now consuming newspaper content via one format or another compared to a year ago.
“The Sydney Morning Herald again Australia’s leading masthead with a total audience of over 4.2 million, nearly a million more readers than local rival the Daily Telegraph which now has an audience of 3.3 million.
“The strongest 12 month performance was by Fairfax daily The Age which grew its cross-platform audience by over 10 per cent to 3.1 million. Almost matched in audience size by its Melbourne competitor the HeraldSun at just under 3 million.
“Also performing well over the past year was national broadsheet The Australian up 4.7 per cent to an audience of almost 2.6 million
“The take out from today’s readership figures is that Australia’s leading mastheads are continuing to build large and diverse digital audiences to replace declining print readership. As time progresses consumers of news will increasingly look to trusted media brands and outlets for the latest news.
“Retaining that edge for trust and reliability is key for newspaper mastheads continuing their audience growth that we have witnessed in recent years.”
Latest News
Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]
Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]
Is Meta’s New AI Chatbot Too Left-Wing?
Meta's chatbot accused of being left-wing after being caught wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt & listening to Billy Bragg.
TV Ratings (23/04/2024): Why Did No One Tell Angela That Farmer Wants A Wife Is Set On A Farm?
As wonderful as this headline is, let's face it, we all know an 'Angela', don't we?
PubMatic Unveils New AI Partnership To Turn Social Posts Into Ads For Any Digital Channel
Here's some nifty tech for turning social posts into ads. Assuming said posts aren't one-star character assassinations.
Intuit Mailchimp Makes A Splash With Its First Australian Brand Campaign
Ever laugh along at a gag you didn't get so as not to appear dumb? Get ready for more feigning with this new work.
GumGum’s Rob Hall: Advertisers Can No Longer “Rely On Binary Descriptions” Of Consumers
If anyone's got their finger on adtech's pulse, it's Rob Hall. He also avoids using the good paper in the office printer
Mastercard Nabs Florencia Aimo From Marriott International
Marriott International's Florencia Aimo jumps from the hotel business to the exploitative credit card one.
Bastion Agency Appoints Cheuk Chiang As New ANZ CEO
Cheuk Chiang takes the reins over at Bastion Agency. But not the rains down in Africa.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Major Sponsorship Wins After A Disappointing Week In Sport
B&T continuing our deep dive into local sport sponsorships & that's despite not a single offer of a free ticket as yet.
Macca’s Marketing Director, Samantha McLeod On Big Mac Chant: “What Was Once Old Is Now Cool Again”
Macca's using the power of nostalgia in latest Big Mac campaign. Well, only for those who've ever eaten one sober.
World Premiere Of Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line To Open Sydney Film Festival 2024
Oil's biopic to open Sydney Film Festival. Here's hoping Molly Meldrum will take his pants down at the premiere.
Entries Are Now Open For The 2024 Brandies, IntelligenceBank’s Annual Brand Marketing Awards
The Brandies are, of course, a prestigious marketing gong and not the mystery tipple favoured by nannas everywhere.
The Fred Hollows Foundation Appoints Ardent For PR
Yes, we all like to have a joke at PR's expense. But sometimes it does important work, like this.
AI, eCommerce & Marketing Specialists Are In Increased Demand By Businesses, New Data From Fiverr Shows
Has your philosophy & anthropology degree left you with nothing but a huge HECS debt? Here's what you should've studied.
Perth’s First 3D Anamorphic Billboard Arrives Courtesy Of oOh!media
Do you love a buzzword? Now you can add anamorphic to the list as it relates to billboards, not a colleague's ears.
MasterChef Australia & Crown Resorts Launch Unique Dining Experience With ALUMNI
A pop-up restaurant staffed by MasterChef contestants! That's fine dining prices for first-year apprentice chef cuisine!
Amanda Laing Announces Resignation From Foxtel Group
Foxtel's chief commercial & content officer heads for the exits. Read nice things the bosses said about her right here.
The Lost Letters From Our Diggers: News Corp Unveils ANZAC Day Special
It's nice when brands respectfully acknowledge ANZAC Day.
Howatson+Company Acquires Akkomplice
Large indie acquires a slightly smaller indie. Much like a shark eating a tuna, just with less thrashing and blood.
Google Delays Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Again
In good news for the sale of picture library biscuit photos, Google continues to tease over the end of cookies.
Education A Low Priority For Aussies More Concerned With Cost Of Living Forethought Study Reveals
Study finds Aussies cutting back on education due to cost of living. Booze & Uber Eats sales remain largely unaffected.
“I’m Still The Same Person That I Was”: Rikki Stern Says “Fucc It” To Cancer Stereotypes
B&T always happy to promote the anti-cancer cause. Even brands that massively overdo it with the hot pink.
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.