Few Print Readers Use Local Newspaper Websites

Websites are touted as the “great online hope” of print publications, but a recent survey of local newspaper readers shows that this is not the case - at least not yet.

According to a survey by the Readership Institute at NorthWestern University, newspaper web sites continue to have limited penetration in most communities.

Overall, 62% of respondents have never visited their local daily newspaper’s Web site.

The Institute notes that the potential to develop a strong and differentiated local online brand and to establish usage among groups who don’t read the newspaper much or who prefer to get their news and information online is largely unexploited.

Simon Owens at Bloggasm quotes the Institute’s Mary Nesbitt as saying the level of website penetration has remained relatively the same since 2003. Seeing the glass as half full, Nesbitt regards the low website readership as an opportunity.

Owens wonders “what accounts for the disparities between the website statistics boasted by most newspapers and the results of this study…it’s possible that many of those new readers are flowing in from outside the local impact area, either through search engines or links from other websites.”

Key highlights of the survey:

• People have a lukewarm response to newspaper Web sites on these qualitative dimensions of engagement – they are not very engaged.
• For all but one experience, people rate the print newspaper higher than the same paper’s Web site. Since experiences correlate with behavior, it is not surprising that the higher engagement level with the print product translates into higher readership, whereas lower engagement with the Web sites is reflected in lower usage.
• The experience of “Trust and credibility” received the same rating both in print and online, perhaps suggesting that the brand name is a strong factor that translates to various media outlets.
• Usage of local daily newspapers’ Web sites is linked to civic behavior – in general, heavier users are more engaged in civic life.

The Institute also looked at print readership habits, which showed a small decline. “However, those who do read the local daily newspaper are doing so at about the same levels(with respect to time, completeness, and frequency) as compared to past years.”

Those finding the continuing plight of the newspaper industry too depressing may find some temporary solace in Ken Doctor’s amusing preview of second quarter newspaper earnings reports at ContentBridges.