Roy Morgan has released its first Total News readership figures today. finding The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) is Australia’s most-read news brand.
However, The Age is Melbourne’s most-read masthead and The Financial Review remains Australia’s most-read business masthead.
In a year that has seen the SMH celebrate its 190th anniversary and where trusted news sources are more valued than ever before, the SMH is read by 8.432 million people across print and digital, making it Australia’s most-read masthead in the 12 months to June 2021.
This is 73 per cent more than its direct competitor. The Sun Herald grew its print readership by 22 per cent year-on-year and the newspaper is read by 463,000 people every Sunday.
However, The Age’s overall Total News readership has held steady year-on-year, making it the second-most read masthead in Australia after SMH.
The Sunday Age print edition has seen a 13 per cent increase year-on-year and the newspaper is read by 440,000 people every Sunday.
Meanwhile, The Australian Financial Review is the country’s most-read premium business masthead. The masthead has held its readership gains from last year amid unprecedented global financial turmoil.
AFR Weekend Edition has increased 52 per cent year-on-year in its print readership, attracting 161,000 people each weekend. AFR Magazine is Australia’s most-read monthly magazine insert, recording double-digit yearly growth of 72 per cent and quarter-on-quarter growth of 16 per cent, with a print readership of 419,000.
Across the SMH and Age, Saturday’s Good Weekend is Australia’s most-read inserted magazine, attracting an average issue print readership of 768,000, up per cent quarter-on-quarter.
Sunday Life has seen year-on-year growth of 12 per cent, with an average issue print readership of 491,000.
The Total News readership figures – the first to be released by Roy Morgan – show Nine’s mastheads and digital platforms had an unduplicated audience of 12.403 million.
The Financial Review, editor-in-chief, Michael Stutchbury, said: “We continue to build our premium subscriber base following the surge in digital subscriptions when COVID hit last year.
“Our Platinum 70 Year coverage in the past week has generated an extraordinarily positive response from readers and subscribers.”
Lisa Davies, the editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, said: “These results show that the Herald’s brand of journalism is rewarding readers with fearless, independent news and analysis, especially as NSW goes through one of the toughest periods in its recent history.
“We are committed to giving readers the information they need, fearless commentary and analysis to make sense of it all and plenty of stories on lighter subjects to keep them entertained.
“The team at Good Weekend produces the best long-form journalism in the country, while The Sun-Herald’s unique mix of news and lifestyle stories ensures readers are treated to an unmatched breadth of content across the weekend.”
This is the first release of Total News readership figures produced by Roy Morgan for ThinkNewsBrands.