Herald Still Driving Growth In Newspaper Readers

Herald Still Driving Growth In Newspaper Readership

The New Zealand Herald has continued to build on its strong readership growth according to the latest National Readership Survey from Nielsen Media Research based on the period July 2001 to June 2002.

On a typical day 569,000 New Zealanders aged fifteen and over read The New Zealand Herald, an increase of 17,000 since the last readership survey *.

The editor-in-chief of the Herald, Gavin Ellis, described the readership growth as "gratifying recognition of the work of a large number of people who continue to improve the journalistic quality of the newspaper."

Ellis said the news sections of the weekday paper and of the Weekend Herald had provided readers with ground-breaking coverage, such as the exposure of Maori Television Service chief executive John Davies, and analysis of complex issues such as Southern Cross insurance and Air New Zealand. Meanwhile specialist feature sections and a wide range of commentators throughout the daily and weekend newspapers were satisfying more individual interests.

Highlights of the Nielsen Media Research results include ongoing dominance of weekend newspapers by The Weekend Herald which is read by an additional 31,000* readers since the last survey* and remains the most read weekend newspaper, with 670,000 readers aged fifteen years and over. In Auckland The Weekend Herald is still read by more than twice as many people as any other weekend paper

(15+).

The Herald has experienced a growth in reader numbers every weekday of between 10,000 and 20,000 (15+). Each week the New Zealand Herald is read by 974,000 people (15+) and 598,000 Aucklanders.

The Herald has implemented a series of multi layered initiatives. For the second year it has organised a highly successful primary schools "Growing learning Minds" programme which has helped The Herald break the million weekly readers mark. By using the readership figures age 10+ employed by some newspapers, the New Zealand Herald now reaches 1,027,000 people in a typical week.

Managing Director Ken Steinke, summing up the readership results, described them as "a strong and pleasing performance".

"Our repeated readership growth, together with the editorial and business accolades the Herald team has received in 2002, is an endorsement of the fact that we are producing a world-class newspaper," he said.

Mr Steinke said repeated readership growth is obviously good news for advertisers.

"Once again our advertisers are seeing more readers - and potential customers --attracted to the Herald. We have also increased our readership in higher income households and have seen a boost to female readership, particularly in provincial areas. These groups are important focal points for advertisers"

* 2002 no 1 survey based on February - December 2001

ENDS

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