Fairfax metro papers attract readers

Local content and style improvements a hit with readers of Fairfax Media’s metropolitan newspapers

Results in the latest Nielsen National Readership Survey show readers of Fairfax Media’s metropolitan mastheads – The Dominion Post, The Press and Waikato Times – have embraced the increased focus on local content, and continue to show that relevancy is key to newspaper growth.

Fairfax Media’s concerted push to drive readership by providing more local content is demonstrated in the success of The Press, which has increased its readership period-on-period by 3,000 readers aged 15+ in the Christchurch area. The paper’s aim to create more value across the week has proved successful with its new daily features gaining traction with local readers. As a result in the Christchurch area, The Press has experienced a 2.9 per cent increase year-on-year in the number of readers aged 15+ across the Monday-Friday editions.

The Waikato Times continues to deliver on its tagline: “As Waikato as it Gets”. On an average day the Waikato Times now reaches 104,000 New Zealanders aged 15+, consolidating its position as New Zealand’s fourth most read daily newspaper. The Waikato Times maintains a 5,000 reader lead over the fifth largest daily newspaper.

The Dominion Post readership has increased period-on-period to now reach 249,000 people aged 15+. In its core Wellington area, it has gained an extra 1,000 readers period-on-period to now reach 144,000 Wellingtonians aged 15+.

“The strong performance across the metropolitan mastheads shows that our focus to provide relevant national and local news throughout the regions is working. Our newspaper brands remain a strong source of news and information that readers can trust. We are continuously delivering key audiences and engagement in our advertising partners’ core markets across New Zealand,” says Fairfax Media’s Group Marketing and Sales Manager Sandra King.

At a hyper-local level Fairfax Auckland Suburbans continue to be the Auckland power-house with 74 per cent of Aucklanders aged 15+ now reading a Fairfax Suburban newspaper across the week.

On a national scale, The Sunday Star-Times continues to be New Zealand’s most well read Sunday newspaper with 562,000 readers aged 10+. Together with its sister paper, the Sunday News, 78.4 per cent of New Zealanders who read a Sunday newspaper are choosing to read a Fairfax Sunday newspaper.

Fairfax Magazines as a group, out performs its nearest competitors, by reaching 2.2 million New Zealanders aged 10+, with an additional 12,000 readers year-on-year. NZ Gardener is a star performer with a readership of 320,000, a significant increase of 11.5 per cent year-on-year. Lifestyle Block also performed well to now reach 64,000 readers aged 10+, an increase of 14.3 per cent year-on-year. Both magazines tap into the increasing trend of becoming self sufficient in difficult times.

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