Sunday Star-Times NZ’s Most Read Sunday Paper

Sunday Star-Times NZ’s Most Read Sunday Paper

The Sunday Star-Times was the country’s most read Sunday newspaper in 2009, with 203,000 more readers than any other Sunday newspaper.

The latest Nielsen Media Research; National Readership Survey for the 12 months ended December 2009, reveals that Sunday Star-Times achieved average issue readership of 585,000 people aged 10+. Sunday Star-Times readership has held steady from the end of 2008, despite the difficult economic environment. The title gained readers in Waikato, Canterbury and the Lower North Island – demonstrating true national reach. Overall, Sunday Star-Times readership was unchanged across the upper North Island (Taupo North).

Despite a tough circulation environment, subscription sales of the country’s pre-eminent Sunday newspaper increased 6.7% during the 12 months. Mitchell Murphy, Publisher of Fairfax Media Sundays, says the increase in subscriptions is especially pleasing as it shows the newspaper is engaging with readers across the country, who are showing a solid long-term commitment to the title.

“It was a tough environment for all newspapers last year, so we’re delighted to see a strong increase in subscription sales for the *Sunday Star-Times*,” he says. “The key to the Sunday reader market is editorial strength in breaking quality stories, along with lifestyle features, comprehensive sport and business coverage that our readers love.”

“Having more readers subscribe to the Sunday Star-Times last year, when most people had less money in their pockets, demonstrates the loyalty of our readers. It also shows that they’re willing to commit to the paper as their weekly Sunday read by being a regular subscriber.”

The Nielsen Survey also revealed that the new look *Sunday News* finished 2009 with average issue readership of 314,000. As expected, the newspaper experienced a decline in both circulation and readership this time round as Fairfax Media Sundays rationalised the distribution footprint of the paper in outlying parts of the country.

Murphy says feedback and research suggests that readers are responding positively to the re-launched Sunday News, and particularly like the new sports supplement and lifestyle content.

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