1. © Readership Institute The Power To Grow Readership The Impact Study A joint venture of NAA, ASNE, Readership Institute

2. © Readership Institute Readership Trends Source: Newspaper Association of America Newspaper Readership Among The Adult Population %

3. © Readership Institute The Moment Is Unique ABC changes open major opportunities:ABC changes open major opportunities: –Report readership –Establish a variable-priced strategy –Count bulk sales –Grow pass along Look at USA Today’s experienceLook at USA Today’s experience

4. © Readership Institute This Time Is Also Unique Because of 9-11 For the moment, consumers have a deeper and closer connection to their newspaper because of 9-11For the moment, consumers have a deeper and closer connection to their newspaper because of 9-11 –History says the connection will not last –Backsliding can be stopped if you give readers new reasons to stay with your paper –RI (Readership Institute) provides insights & tools to develop that connection

5. © Readership Institute Measuring Readership RI measured readers’ usage of their newspaper on weekdays and weekendsRI measured readers’ usage of their newspaper on weekdays and weekends Readership is:Readership is: –Time spent –Frequency –Completeness RI rolled those dimensions into a single Reader Behavior Score (RBS) for each consumerRI rolled those dimensions into a single Reader Behavior Score (RBS) for each consumer

6. © Readership Institute Measuring Readership, cont. Newspapers can easily add RBS to their current reader survey measuresNewspapers can easily add RBS to their current reader survey measures –Follow RI standards –(See paper at www.readership.org) –Track the success of content, service and brand initiatives –Compare your newspaper to industry norms, similar markets etc.

7. © Readership Institute The Impact study yielded “Eight Imperatives” for growing readershipThe Impact study yielded “Eight Imperatives” for growing readership Each imperative fits into one of the “4 Cornerstones” of readership growthEach imperative fits into one of the “4 Cornerstones” of readership growth 4 Cornerstones and Imperatives

8. © Readership Institute Newspapers have tremendous opportunities to grow readership through improvements in the 4 cornerstones of:Newspapers have tremendous opportunities to grow readership through improvements in the 4 cornerstones of: - Content- Brand - Service- Culture 4 are linked to each other4 are linked to each other 4 must be tackled together4 must be tackled together 4 Cornerstones of Readership

9. © Readership Institute ContentContent –9 types of content grow readership –So does a particular kind of local news –Content that is “easy to read” & navigable –Content that is promoted –Advertising content Service excellenceService excellence Brand relevanceBrand relevance Constructive cultureConstructive culture Readership Growth 4 Cornerstones

10. © Readership Institute The Four Cornerstones of Readership ContentContent ServiceService BrandBrand CultureCulture

11. © Readership Institute Content That Grows RBS Topics with greatest potential to grow readership Topics with greatest potential to grow readership 1.News about ordinary people, community announcement, obituaries 2. Health, home, food, fashion & travel 3.Politics, government, international 4. Natural disasters & accidents 5. Movies, TV & weather 6. Business and personal finance 7. Science, technology, environment 8. Police & crime 9. Sports

12. © Readership Institute Content & Increased Satisfaction TopicCharacteristics News about community & ordinary people Quantity Quantity Point of view Point of view Health, home, food, fashion & travel Quantity Quantity Feature-style stories Feature-style stories “Go & do” information “Go & do” information Politics, government & war Quantity Quantity Stand-alone opinion section Stand-alone opinion section Color photos Color photos Feature-style stories Feature-style stories

13. © Readership Institute TopicCharacteristics Natural disasters & accidents Fewer photographs Fewer photographs Fewer stories overall Fewer stories overall Movies, TV & weather Shorter, less complex Shorter, less complex Business & Personal Finance Commentary, criticism, advice Commentary, criticism, advice Quantity Quantity Content & Increased Satisfaction

14. © Readership Institute Content & Increased Satisfaction TopicCharacteristics Science, technology & environment Quantity Quantity International focus International focus Longer, more complex Longer, more complex Feature-style stories Feature-style stories Police & crime More local focus, fewer national events More local focus, fewer national events Fewer photographs Fewer photographs Fewer stories overall Fewer stories overall Sports Feature-style stories Feature-style stories Commentary, criticism and advice Commentary, criticism and advice

15. © Readership Institute Post 9-11 Within the 9 topics, these three have the greatest potential:Within the 9 topics, these three have the greatest potential: 1.News about ordinary people, obits and community announcements 2.Health, home, food, fashion & travel 3.Politics, government, international They embody a mix of hard & soft news that readers seekThey embody a mix of hard & soft news that readers seek –#1 and #3 are what made newspapers post 9-11 special Interest in foreign news has always been present – as long as newspapers made it relevantInterest in foreign news has always been present – as long as newspapers made it relevant

16. © Readership Institute Post 9-11 Hard-hitting, moving stories about ordinary people made newspapers come aliveHard-hitting, moving stories about ordinary people made newspapers come alive Unfortunately, those reports are disappearing, replaced by “institutional” storiesUnfortunately, those reports are disappearing, replaced by “institutional” stories There is renewed emphasis by consumers on family, home, “nesting” and healthThere is renewed emphasis by consumers on family, home, “nesting” and health –These types of stories are important to growing readership

17. © Readership Institute About Obituaries RI identified many common practices among newspapers with high satisfaction ratingsRI identified many common practices among newspapers with high satisfaction ratings Full report at: www.readership.orgFull report at: www.readership.org

18. © Readership Institute Change Writing Style It isn’t enough to have the right story topicsIt isn’t enough to have the right story topics Many readers are turned off by the inverted pyramid writing style that is used in 70% of your paper’s storiesMany readers are turned off by the inverted pyramid writing style that is used in 70% of your paper’s stories

19. © Readership Institute What Are Some Writing Styles That Work? Feature-styleFeature-style –Beginning, middle, end –Characters tell the story –Engages, connects CommentaryCommentary –Author’s voice (Reviews, columns, first-person)(Reviews, columns, first-person)

20. © Readership Institute Create an ‘Easy to Read’ Newspaper “Easy to read” means:“Easy to read” means: –The newspaper is relaxing to read (This does not mean brain candy) –“It’s easy to find what I’m looking for”

21. © Readership Institute ‘Easy to Read’, cont. More “go-and-do” informationMore “go-and-do” information More stories about health, home, fashion, foodMore stories about health, home, fashion, food More feature-style storiesMore feature-style stories More in-paper content promotionMore in-paper content promotion

22. © Readership Institute Advertising Content Required Actions: Learn which ads drive your readership Get those ads Make readership a responsibility of the ad department Better ad content drives overall newspaper readership

23. © Readership Institute Advertising Content Ad content has the third-highest potential to grow readershipAd content has the third-highest potential to grow readership It is even more significant forIt is even more significant for –Readers under 35 –Hispanics & African-Americans

24. © Readership Institute Example: A Strategy Targeting Young Women (25-34) Get more ads that appeal to themGet more ads that appeal to them –Special pricing –Ads should be exemplary –Best location –Active promotion of the ads Make advertising, marketing, & news responsible for coordinating effortsMake advertising, marketing, & news responsible for coordinating efforts

25. © Readership Institute Create an aggressive plan for in- paper content promotion In-paper Content Promotion Required Actions: Required Actions: Concentrate first on upcoming content; then same-day content Make one person accountable

26. © Readership Institute HeavyHeavy SkimmerSkimmer SelectiveSelective Sunday heavySunday heavy LightLight Sunday heavy onlySunday heavy only Weekday onlyWeekday only Sunday lightSunday light NonreaderNonreader 9 Types of Readers

27. © Readership Institute Average Daily In-Paper Promotion #1 #2 Focus on these & in this order

28. © Readership Institute

31. Execution In winter 2002 check the Readership Institute website www.readership.org for a preliminary report on what worksIn winter 2002 check the Readership Institute website www.readership.org for a preliminary report on what works

32. © Readership Institute The Four Cornerstones of Readership ContentContent ServiceService BrandBrand CultureCulture

33. © Readership Institute The Service Cornerstone Newspapers that deliver what their customers consider service excellence have higher RBS, but the bar is very high

34. © Readership Institute 6 Service Factors that Drive RBS Condition/completeness of delivered paper Condition/completeness of delivered paper Quality of paper, ink, type size Quality of paper, ink, type size When, how paper is delivered When, how paper is delivered Accuracy of bill Accuracy of bill Cost of home delivery Cost of home delivery Overall customer service Overall customer service

35. © Readership Institute Achieve Service Excellence RBS Service Over-the-top service yields big rewards Industry average 4.25

36. © Readership Institute For Further Study Close link between service and contentClose link between service and content Older readers more susceptible to service issues than younger readersOlder readers more susceptible to service issues than younger readers “Bare bones” vs. innovative model“Bare bones” vs. innovative model Importance of excellent service recovery Importance of excellent service recovery Importance of publisher’s role and attitude Importance of publisher’s role and attitude

37. © Readership Institute The Four Cornerstones of Readership ContentContent ServiceService BrandBrand CultureCulture

38. © Readership Institute Develop a strong newspaper brand –Drives RBS as much as content –Brand is a strong, positive image that is relevant to the reader The Brand Cornerstone Required Actions: Required Actions: Understand & define your brand Understand & define your brand Enhance and strengthen it Enhance and strengthen it

39. © Readership Institute Readership Brand Model Relevance Content: News & Adv. Service Excellence Brand Perception

40. © Readership Institute Some Key Brand Ideas Build a brand in the minds of your readers that:Build a brand in the minds of your readers that: –Is based on a few strong, positive and relevant characteristics –Differentiates your newspaper from the competition In RI sample we found only six newspapers that have a strong brandIn RI sample we found only six newspapers that have a strong brand Brand isn’t a paper’s tag line or flagBrand isn’t a paper’s tag line or flag It is what consumers think it is and not what the newspaper says it isIt is what consumers think it is and not what the newspaper says it is

41. © Readership Institute Brand Perceptions that Drive RBS Intelligent, successful & experienced Community leader & has personality Honest/Helpful Reflects my beliefs Informed/In the know Cares about me Middle Class/Neighborly Fun/Creative Energetic Makes me think Belonging/Fulfillment

42. © Readership Institute The Four Cornerstones of Readership ContentContent ServiceService BrandBrand CultureCulture

43. © Readership Institute To grow RBS: Tear down defensive culture and replace it with a constructive one The Culture Cornerstone Required Action: grow readership as a sustained initiativeBegin to grow readership as a sustained initiative Promote those who will lead initiative & involve staff cross- departmentallyPromote those who will lead initiative & involve staff cross- departmentally

44. © Readership Institute Who Are Newspapers Like?

45. © Readership Institute Who Are Newspapers Like?

46. © Readership Institute Constructive vs. Defensive Adaptive Change-resistant Group achievers Individual gain Collaborative Insular Outward-looking Internal focus Not a sin to fail Don’t fail

47. © Readership Institute Culture by Newspaper Departments Advertising Marketing Circulation News- Editorial Top Execs Department Over-all Culture Primary style Secondary style Passive/ Defensive Aggressive/ Defensive Constructive Perfectionistic Avoidance Oppositional Perfectionistic Humanistic Conventional Perfectionistic Oppositional Achievement

48. © Readership Institute Defensive Cultures Departments work separately in silosDepartments work separately in silos There’s little teamwork or cooperation within or between disciplinesThere’s little teamwork or cooperation within or between disciplines Employees are not proud of the overall quality of the newspaper and its servicesEmployees are not proud of the overall quality of the newspaper and its services

49. © Readership Institute Constructive Cultures Departments and individuals are achievement-orientedDepartments and individuals are achievement-oriented “We work together (across silos) for the good of the paper”“We work together (across silos) for the good of the paper” A more satisfied staff A more satisfied staff Higher RBS Higher RBS

50. © Readership Institute Moving to a Constructive Culture It’s a leadership issueIt’s a leadership issue –Leaders must model, encourage and reward these styles Requires leaders to step outside the current cultureRequires leaders to step outside the current culture –See clearly what must change –Assess whether the right people are in right place to do it Be prepared to commit to it long-termBe prepared to commit to it long-term

51. © Readership Institute How to Implement

52. © Readership Institute Action Step #1 Measure and use readership to grow it and to serve your customersMeasure and use readership to grow it and to serve your customers –RBS is the key measure of how readers behave –It is what advertisers need –Major competitors use: –Eyeballs/Ears/Minds/Wallets Teach advertisers that RBS/readership is a better measure than eyes or ears Teach advertisers that RBS/readership is a better measure than eyes or ears

53. © Readership Institute Action Step #2 –Other media are still fragmenting, but that will change soon –When it does, newspapers must meet competitors’ consolidated news and advertising strength Build the 4 cornerstones urgently and nowBuild the 4 cornerstones urgently and now

54. © Readership Institute Action Step #3 Use readership in every departmentUse readership in every department –It’s a cause all departments can rally around –Puts the focus on externals (the customer) instead of internal issues Share the goals openlyShare the goals openly –Encourage discussion Enlist as many staff as you can in the action planEnlist as many staff as you can in the action plan –Empower and make accountable –Make it cross-functional

55. © Readership Institute Action Step #4 Promote people who are committed to readershipPromote people who are committed to readership Tie goals & rewards to readershipTie goals & rewards to readership –Devise rewards that matter to employees Make a big deal about readership successesMake a big deal about readership successes Make this at least a 3-5 year effort and tell everyone that it is not going awayMake this at least a 3-5 year effort and tell everyone that it is not going away

56. © Readership Institute Action Step #5 Everyone in the newspaper must take personal responsibility for growing RBSEveryone in the newspaper must take personal responsibility for growing RBS –All the way from the publisher and editor … to the person who answers the phones Put a committed champion with clout in charge of each of the 4 cornerstones; measure resultsPut a committed champion with clout in charge of each of the 4 cornerstones; measure results

57. © Readership Institute Provide the leadership & the willProvide the leadership & the will –That’s your challenge Action Step #6

58. © Readership Institute The Power to Grow Readership All RI research materials are available at: www.readership.org  www.readership.org