Fielder’s Choice - Barry Burleson


Thursday, October 15, 2009
Community \| Obits \| Editorial & Columnists \| Society \| Sports \| Education \| Classified Ads \| Calendar of Events \| Features \| Newsbriefs \| Legals \| Archives \| Subscriptions \| Photo Gallery

Fielder’s Choice
By Barry Burleson

‘Always be journalism’

An annual readership survey shows good news for small newspapers.

The National Newspaper Association, working with the research arm of the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism, is completing its fourth year of research on the readership patterns of America’s community newspapers. The NNA, of which The South Reporter is a member, has been serving community newspapers since 1885. Early data from the survey was released in the recent edition of the NNA’s publication, Publishers Auxiliary.

Did you know 80 percent of America’s newspapers have a circulation of 15,000 or less?

Did you know there are about 8,000 community newspapers in America that fit that description? Did you know 86 million Americans read those community newspapers every week?

I’ve been asked repeatedly this year – “How’s the newspaper doing?” That’s due to the down economy and the stories many have read about the struggles of newspapers, particularly some of the large daily ones.

Community newspapers, like The South Reporter, and other small businesses are not immune to the tough times. Our advertising is down. But truth is, we’re doing OK because of our commitment to this community, our emphasis on local, local, local and because of you – our readers and advertisers. Our philosophy – community first – will never change.

Eighty-one percent of those surveyed read a local newspaper weekly.
Those readers, on average, share their paper with 2.36 additional readers.
Community newspaper readers spend about 40 minutes with their paper.
Seventy-three percent read most or all of their community newspaper.
Nearly 40 percent keep their community newspaper more than a week (shelf life).
Three-quarters of readers read local news often to very often in their community newspaper, while 53 percent say they never read local news online (only 12 percent say they read local news often to very often online).
Of those going online for local news, 63 percent found it on the local newspaper’s web site, compared to 17 percent for such sites as Yahoo, MSN or Google.
Sixty percent read local school news somewhat to very often in their newspaper while 65 percent never read local education news online.
Nearly half read local sports somewhat to very often in their newspaper while 70 percent never read local sports online.
Sixty-two percent read editorials or letters to the editor somewhat to very often in their newspaper while three quarters never read editorials or letters to the editor online.
Three quarters of readers have read public notices in their community newspaper.

The local newspaper is the primary source of information about the local community for 60 percent of the respondents – that’s four times greater than the second and third most popular sources of local news. Readers are 10 times more likely to get their news from their community newspaper than from the Internet.

A longtime, successful Alabama publisher said in Publishers Auxiliary, “There will always be journalism. There will always be the desire to clip out something that you can put on your refrigerator; that you can put in the family Bible.”

Report News: (662) 252-4261 or south@dixie-net.com
Questions, comments, corrections: south@dixie-net.com
©2004, The South Reporter, All Rights Reserved.
No part of this site may be reproduced in any way without permission.
The South Reporter is a member of the Mississippi Press Association.

Web Site managed and maintained by
South Reporter webmasters Linda Jones, Kristian Jones
Web Site Design - The South Reporter

Back | Top of Page