Media giant Fairfax still holds a strong print readership, posting encouraging metrics of 6.3 million readers across its printed newspapers.

Fairfax’s total media reach was logged as 11 million readers across all platforms, up 5 per cent year-on-year. The data shows 7.1 million users read on desktop, and a much smaller 2.2 million people access the content through a smartphone or tablet.

Readership for print editions of Fairfax titles in its half yearly results had however seen a modest decline, but the slump was offset largely through its real-estate arm Domain.

The EMMA (Enhanced Media Metrics Australia) data for January to December 2015 saw some of Australia’s biggest mastheads such as The Sydney Morning Herald and The Daily Telegraph with print dominating at the preferred medium for the majority of news readers.

Despite this there was a small dip in readership across the board, SMH losing 1.5 per cent of readers and News Corp’s Daily Telegraph losing 1.7 per cent.

The SMH rose as the most-read newspaper both online and in print with readership totalling 5.3 million, over one million more than its closest competitor.

Fairfax’s other titles The Age¸ Financial Review and Canberra Times all received year-on-year growth for digital readership.

The steady print results come soon after Fairfax CEO Greg Hywood told investors the group is ‘unemotional’ about the prospect of shutting down print editions entirely.   

“This will inevitably mean an even stronger emphasis on digital publishing. We are ready to meet this significant opportunity as consumer preferences demand,” says Hywood.

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