Readership for select Australian newspapers grows significantly across various platforms, with double-digit increases for some; others report stable or growing readership for print editions

Aimee Bellah

July 14, 2014 (Australian, The) – Several newspapers have dramatically increased their reach

Total audiences for a number of newspaper titles grew dramatically across multiple platforms as readership stabilised or declined, according to the latest Enhanced Media Metrics Australia (emma) monthly readership figures.

Across print, tablet and mobile, The Daily Telegraph’s total reach rose 8 per cent to 4.353 million across four weeks, that of Brisbane’s The Courier-Mail rose 21 per cent to 3.4 million and Adelaide’s The Advertiser’s reach was up 22.3 per cent to 1.73 million. The Australian Financial Review bucked the trend of most papers showing strong multiplatform growth by rising only 0.4 per cent over 11 months.

The total reach for The Australian grew 5.2 per cent during the past 11 months, with its total audience now 3.337 million, having grown by 264,000 since February. And the NT News’ reach lifted by 90 per cent in the 11 months of the new measurement system.

The methodology for surveying cross-platform audiences changed in March, meaning comparisons across 11 months are not definitive, although reach figures for The Australian (up 197,000), The Courier-Mail, The Daily Telegraph, The Advertiser and NT News all rose from April to May.

News Corp Australia titles reach 15.209 million Australians aged over 14 each month, or 86 per cent of the Australian population, a figure that has remained stable during the past 10 months.

The Australian’s readership for its weekday print edition is stable at 522,000, up 1000 readers in May.

The Weekend Australian’s readership is 699,000, which has been stable since February in a declining market.

The weekend edition of the Financial Review dropped 26.5 per cent across 11 months to 125,000 readers (average issue readership, or AIR), while the weekday edition dropped 2.9 per cent to 303,000.

The Sydney Morning Herald’s weekday average readership edition fell 5.2 per cent to 772,000 and the Saturday edition dropped 6.4 per cent while The Sunday Age fell 7 per cent, or 45,000, to 597,000 and The Sun-Herald was down 8.3 per cent to 831,000.

The weekday Courier-Mail readership was relatively stable with a 1.7 per cent drop to 701,000 readers and The Daily Telegraph was down only 1.2 per cent across the 11 months although the Saturday edition added 10,000 readers in May and the weekday edition was up after a successful relaunch.

Melbourne’s Herald Sun was stable for its weekday and Saturday editions with 1.436 million readers on weekdays while the Sunday Herald Sun and Sunday Mail both lifted their readership in the 11 months. The Saturday edition of The Age fell 6.5 per cent across 11 months.

In the magazine sector, The Australian Women’s Weekly’s readership rose 2 per cent across 11 months to 2.336 million for Bauer Media with stablemates House & Garden lifting 2.8 per cent to 965,000 and Harper’s Bazaar up 13.6 per cent to 225,000 although Dolly dropped 10.2 per cent and NW was down 6.6 per cent to 465,000. Women’s Fitness was the bolter with a 318 per cent rise to 180,000.

Among News Corp Australia titles, Donna Hay added 11.8 per cent for 823,000, Vogue Living added 19.6 per cent for 324,000 and GQ rose 12.2 per cent to 165,000. Taste.com.au magazine rose in its second month in emma with 619,000 readers.Pacific Magazines’ Better Homes and Gardens added 9 per cent in 11 months for 2.522 million while Famous dropped 10.9 per cent to 351,000 and Who dropped 1.6 per cent to 924,000.

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