Enhanced Media Metrics Australia has released its latest print audience report, showing print newspapers and magazines are facing a weakening market, with both platforms taking a hit in readership levels. Readership levels from Feb 2015 to Jan 2016 in comparison to figures from the previous year show a decrease across ten of Australia’s most popular magazine titles. Australian Women’s Weekly – eight per cent decrease Better Homes and Gardens – nine per cent decrease Donna Hay – 19 per cent decrease House and Garden – eight per cent decrease National Geographic – 12 per cent decrease Royal Auto – four per cent decrease Men’s Health – nine per cent decrease Take 5 – eight per cent decrease That’s Life – 11 per cent decrease Woman’s Day – nine per cent decrease
emma report: print magazines and newspapers are losing readers
Looking at Fairfax Media’s metro print newspapers, all titles faced a drop in its monthly audience levels. However the company reports its total audience readership, which takes into account mobile, tablet and web readers, has increased across all its metro titles. Monthly print audience levels from Feb 2015 to Jan 2016 in comparison to figures from the previous year show the Canberra Times audience dropped by 13,000, the Australian Financial Review’s dropped by 2000. Audience levels of the Sydney Morning Herald fell from 2.3m to 2.1m, while The Age’s dropped from 1.6m to 1.5m. If all platforms including mobile, tablet and web readership are taken into consideration, Fairfax Media’s total audience reach jumped by five per cent year-on-year. Fairfax Media’s marketing services director for Australian publishing media, Tom Armstrong comments, “The value and strength of Fairfax’s quality content and journalism in reaching and engaging with large-scale audiences is evidenced by January’s solid audience growth. “Fairfax’s network of independent news, information and entertainment reached 11.1 million people, or 62 per cent of Australian’s for the month, which is up 5 per cent year-on-year.” Last month during its half year results announcement, Fairfax Media revealed it would undertake a structural shift from print to digital publishing due to a decline in print readers. Fairfax Media CEO Greg Hywood told investors, “We continue to adapt our business model to this reality, which involves an intense focus on cost reduction and the creation of new revenue opportunities. “This will inevitably mean an even stronger emphasis on digital publishing. We are ready to meet this significant opportunity as consumer preferences demand.”
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