Fairfax Media Retain Leadership Positions

MEDIA RELEASE

August 17, 2007, embargoed until midday

Fairfax Media Newspapers, Magazines and Online Platforms Retain Leadership Positions

Fairfax Media has strengthened its position as the country’s most influential media company with the number of New Zealanders being reached by its newspapers, magazines and online platforms increasing.

The latest Nielsen readership survey ending June 2007 for newspapers and magazines show Fairfax Media print publications are read by 2.7 million or 84.6%1 of New Zealanders aged 15 years+, an increase of 60,000 readers year on year.

The media company’s domestic online audience for Stuff.co.nz for the month of July 2007 averaged 821,704* unique browsers, a growth of 52.1% year on year, which out-strips the newspaper and magazine website category.

Group Sales and Marketing Manager of Fairfax Media, Sandra King, said it was the combined breadth and depth of the news and information vehicles it owned which gave the company its leadership position.

“The demand for news and information is higher than ever,” said King.

“However, people are sourcing content across the broad range of newspaper, magazine and online options. Through focusing on quality, relevance and integration, Fairfax Media has achieved leadership positions across all media.

“We are entrenching this by engaging the country’s best journalists, reporters and writers.”

Highlights for Fairfax Media publications in the latest readership survey were:

* The Sunday Star-Times retaining its position as the country’s leading Sunday newspaper with a readership of 566,000 10 years+. Three out of five people who read a Sunday, read the Sunday Star-Times.
* The combined readership of its three metropolitan newspapers – The Dominion Post, The Press and Waikato Times demonstrates strong community connection with over three quarters (76.1%) of those living in these metropolitan markets reading every week (15 years+).
* The combined average issue readership of the Auckland community newspaper group (10 papers) at 659,000 15 years+ is 76% higher than that of the next largest Auckland suburban group’s publications.
* Readership of The Independent Financial Review at 34,000 is up 13.3% compared the first reported result since Fairfax purchased the publication.
* The TV Guide continues its reign as New Zealand’s best selling weekly magazine and is read by 756,000 Kiwis 10 years+ each week.
* NZ House & Garden retaining its number one position as the country’s leading home and lifestyle publication with a readership of 645,000 10 years+.
* Cuisine, with a readership of 370,000 10 years+, remaining number one in the food and wine category.
* Fairfax Media’s new foray into e-editions is being welcomed by existing subscribers and opens the door for new audiences through services such as translation.

Released on behalf of Fairfax Media by Network PR, for further information please contact: Nicki Charles, Network PR, 09 306 5816, 021 424 518 email nicki.charles@networkpr.com

Result Highlights by Category:

Fairfax Metropolitan Dailies
Compared to the previous release, Fairfax Media's metropolitan newspapers performed consistently. The Waikato Times recorded an average issue readership of 95,000 (+1.1%), The Dominion Post 245,000 (-0.8%) and The Press 221,000 (no change) based on all people 15 years+.
More than three quarters (76.1%) of those living in Wellington, Christchurch and Hamilton read a Fairfax Metropolitan Daily each week, and on a typical Wednesday more than half (52.3%) read a Fairfax Metropolitan Daily newspaper. In comparison, New Zealand’s Free-to-Air TV channels reach on average under a third (30.9%#) of people aged 15 years+ living in these regions during peak viewing on a Wednesday. Nationally TV News ratings are in decline. Based on the July-June period, ratings over the 6 to 7pm time slot have dropped -3.4%## (a percentage change of -11%) year on year for all people 15 years+.
Of the three metropolitans, Waikato Times was a stand out performer, growing readership by 4,000 or 4.4% year on year and achieving strong penetration into Hamilton, a growing and increasingly important market. The Press maintains its position as the most read daily newspaper in the South Island. Two thirds of Press readers purchase or subscribe to the paper and on average spend close to 60 minutes poring over their weekend edition.
The Dominion Post reaches 245,000 readers on a typical day and over the course of the week reaches 440,000 Kiwis or 74.6% of those living in Wellington city. The Dominion Post’s reader profile leads the country in terms of affluence and business decision makers, and this is reflected in the particularly strong readership of BusinessDay.

Fairfax Regional Dailies
Fairfax Media's stable of six regional newspapers, Taranaki Daily News, Manawatu Standard, The Nelson Mail, The Marlborough Express, The Timaru Herald and The Southland Times, combine to a daily reach of 259,000 readers nationally or 53.8% of those living within their circulation area. All six papers recorded similar or increased readership compared to the previous release and the Taranaki Daily News holds the highest penetration reach of any Regional Daily Newspaper in New Zealand at 66.1%.

Fairfax Community Newspapers
Fairfax Media’s community newspapers continue to grow, reflecting the quality and relevance of content, and the support of local New Zealanders. Fairfax Media publishes 60+ community papers stretching from Cape Reinga to Invercargill and reaching 1.8 million New Zealanders 15 years+ every week (based on measured titles). Fairfax Media’s Auckland Suburban group achieved a year on year growth of 43,000 average issue readers to 659,000, and with the addition of the Rodney Times, this reach jumps further to an impressive 694,000 readers 15 years+ and 783,000 over the course of the week. Nearly two thirds (65.7%) of all Aucklanders aged 15 years+ are reading a Fairfax Suburban newspaper on a typical issue, significantly ahead of the competitive stable of Auckland titles, which continue to experience readership falls.
Other Fairfax Metropolitan community papers continue to maintain market dominance. Waikato’s Hamilton Press reported a readership increase year on year and remains the most read community newspaper in Hamilton city, Wellington’s Central Community Newspaper group (7 papers) reported a 4.2% growth year on year in average issue readers within their respective regions, and The Press’ Christchurch Mail reaches 138,000 or 46% of those living in Christchurch aged 15 years+ on a typical Wednesday.

Fairfax Sunday Newspapers
Sunday Star-Times, awarded best weekly newspaper at the Qantas Media Awards for the second consecutive year, recorded a national readership of 566,000 and its sister publication, Sunday News, New Zealand’s second most-read Sunday newspaper, achieved a readership of 367,000 10 years+. Of those New Zealanders who read a Sunday newspaper, 83% read a Fairfax Sunday and nearly two thirds (65.2%) of those readers are exclusive to Fairfax’s Sunday Star-Times and Sunday News on a typical Sunday. Fairfax Sunday Newspapers have been embarking on a significant product development strategy to enhance the Sunday reading experience and attract new readers. For Sunday Star-Times these include: the reintroduction of ‘Escape’, boosting the intellectual heartland ‘Focus’ content and an emphasis on regional breakouts. ‘Sunday’ magazine continues to be New Zealand’s most read newspaper inserted magazine with a readership of 376,000 or 66.3% of Sunday Star-Times readers 10 years+.
Based on the latest monthly total supermarket and service station scan data, product development is paying off with Fairfax Sundays having seen a unit growth of 3.5%^ in supermarket and service station sales compared to a year ago.

The Independent Financial Review
The Independent Financial Review increased readership compared to the first reported result since purchased by Fairfax Media by 13.3% to 34,000. Findings from a recent independent reader study conducted by TNS cements the core benefits the IFR brings to the business reader. Its core editorial strengths include; getting behind issues and challenging opinions with good investigative journalism. Its renowned and highly sought after Daily Business Brief e-mail update continues to go from strength to strength and provides a continuous audience connection throughout the week. With an above average click-open-rate between 35-40%, this targeted vehicle to over 4,000 subscribers offers key business highlights and breaking news alerts each weekday.

Fairfax Media Magazines
Continuing from its recent success in the latest circulation release ( 6 months to June 2007 ) the Fairfax Media magazine stable continues to demonstrate its strength in lifestyle and specialist publishing reaching more than 2 million Kiwis 10 years+. Stand out performances were seen across the portfolio with Fairfax Media’s leading titles further reinforcing their dominant position within a highly competitive market. Highlight results include:
NZ House & Garden increased its readership by 6,000 readers to 645,000 year on year, putting NZ House & Garden at 408,000 more readers than its nearest home and lifestyle competitor.
Cuisine continues its undisputed market leadership with a readership of 370,000 readers, up 6,000 (+1.6%) from the previous release. Maintaining its number one position in the food category for both readership and circulation, Cuisine has 127,000 more readers than its nearest food and beverage competitor.
Fairfax’s motoring magazines, NZ Autocar and NZ Trucking achieved excellent growth in readership year on year. NZ Autocar was up 4.9% or 8,000 readers year on year to a total of 170,000 average issue readers and NZ Trucking saw an increase of 8.3% or 7,000 readers year on year to a readership of 91,000.
Fairfax’s most recent magazine addition, Avenues, saw readership hold at 39,000 readers year on year and Fairfax’s most read and biggest selling magazine, The TV Guide, reported a readership of 756,000 readers 10 years+.

Fairfax Media Online
Stuff.co.nz, voted Best News Service or Media Site for the past five successive NetGuide Web Awards, is also growing reader engagement with average session durations for the month of July increasing 33.2% over the past two years. Growth of online news sites is making waves internationally, with the US reporting record numbers of visitors, growth in excess of 7%** and expanding reach into new segments such as youth. Stuff’s growth rate at 52.1% illustrates just how strong Fairfax Media is performing.
Other contributors to Fairfax Media’s online stable success include: nzhouseandgarden.co.nz and cuisine.co.nz, and its most recent digital offering, rugbyheaven.co.nz, which has already proven to be a success attracting avid sports fans to the site and gaining further momentum leading up to the Rugby World Cup.
Fairfax Media’s market leading digital edition initiative (dynamic online editions for Fairfax Daily and Sunday mastheads) is adding value to existing subscribers and opening the door for new audiences through services such as language translation. Since its launch in July 2007 the digital editions have generated over 300,000+ page views and almost 5,000 visitors have been to this site.

ENDS

Sources: Nielsen National Readership Survey Q306-Q207 (Jul06-Jun07)
Nielsen National Readership Survey Q206-Q107 (previous 12 month readership report)
Nielsen National Readership Survey Q305-Q206 (Jul05-Jun06)
*Nielsen//NetRatings: NZ Market Intelligence, Domestic Traffic (July 07, 06, 05), based on audited sites
^Nielsen ScanTrack 4 weeks to June 17 2007 vs YA
#AGB Nielsen Dataline: Wednesday Average Audience for the Month of July: 4, 11, 18, 25. Peak Zone 1800-2230 Free-To-Air Channels, 15 years+, TV2 Sales Region: Hamilton, Wellington & Christchurch Urban.
##AGB Nielsen Dataline: Average Audience TV1 and TV3 6-7pm News Jul05-Jun06 & Jul06-Jun07, National 15 years+.
**Newspaper Association of America – ONLINE NEWSPAPER AUDIENCE SETS RECORDS IN SECOND QUARTER (July 23, 2007) Data sourced from Nielsen//NetRatings USA

1 Based on average issue readership of Fairfax Media’s measured Newspapers and Magazines, aged 15 years+.

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