NADbank’s 2007 readership study, released today, shows readership results for 82 Canadian daily newspapers, and two Detroit dailies, in 54 urban markets across Canada – and the industry is remaining stable. Online is growing, community papers are thriving and in market-by-market break-downs, there are some clear winners and close races.
Readership of online editions of daily newspapers grew by 11% since 2006, with 17% of adults reading a daily newspaper on the Internet. Most read both printed and online editions; although 3% read only online editions. Readership of online editions is highest in St. John’s; 27% of adults read an online edition each week. This is followed by adults living in Ottawa-Gatineau (24%), London (22%), Toronto (22%) and Sault Ste. Marie (21%). The total weekly reach of Canadians through print and online editions of daily newspapers is 78%.
Three-quarters of Canadians (13.9 million A18+) read a print edition of a daily newspaper each week, while 73% of readers usually read local news, as well as other news and entertainment. Free daily newspapers continue to grow and attract readers; 1.2 million in Toronto (28% of A18+), 726,000 in Montréal (25%), 542,000 in Vancouver (30%) and 204,000 in Ottawa-Gatineau (22%).
Across all markets, 50% of Canadians A18+ read a newspaper yesterday, 46% read a newspaper last Saturday and 26% read a newspaper last Sunday. By Friday, 70% of adults have read at least one issue of a daily newspaper and 78% have read a newspaper, either printed or online, in the past week.
Newspaper readership remains stable in the top 17 markets across Canada. There are 11.7 million weekly readers in the top 17 markets (11.8 million in 2006); 10.3 million in the top ten markets (10.4 million in 2006) and more than 8.7 million in the one million-plus markets of Toronto, Montréal, Ottawa-Gatineau, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver (8.8 million in 2006).
The top five markets, by reach on the average weekday, are Cape Breton, Summerside, New Glasgow, Charlottetown and Truro. Top five on Saturday are Cape Breton, Summerside, Truro, Charlottetown and Moncton. Readership in smaller markets tends to be higher than in the larger markets – which could be related to the stability of their communities and the longtime relationship with their local newspapers. For markets with populations of 150,000 or larger, the top weekday readership markets are Moncton, Regina, St. Catharines, Windsor and Winnipeg. On Saturday, it is Moncton, Winnipeg, Windsor, St John’s and St. Catharines.
National newspapers: The Globe and Mail‘s total weekly readership (in 49 common markets) is 2,769,100. The National Post‘s total weekly readership is 1,570,200. In online weekly readership, the Globe leads with 940,700, while the Post follows with 386,200.
Toronto: The Toronto Star leads the pack with total weekly readership of 2,132,100, followed by the Toronto Sun at 1,184,400, the Globe and Mail at 985,300 and the National Post at 547,200. In weekly online readership, the Star also leads with 545,400, followed by the Globe at 372,300, the Sun at 195,700 and the Post at 129,600. In free dailies, Metro leads with a total weekly readership of 905,700, while 24 hours follows at 772,700; however, 24 hours leads with weekly online readership of 78,600, while Metro follows at 52,900.
Montréal: Le Journal de Montréal leads with a 6/7 Day Cume of 1,137,300. In total weekly readership, La Presse reaches 925,400, followed by Metro at 640,400, the Gazette at 520,900, 24 heures at 460,200, the Globe and Mail at 136,500 and the National Post at 103,900. In weekly online readership, the available figures show La Presse leading with 287,000, followed by the Gazette at 96,400 and the Globe at 64,200.
Ottawa-Gatineau: In total weekly readership, the Ottawa Citizen leads with 493,000, followed by the Ottawa Sun at 294,600, Le Droit at 180,600, the Globe and Mail at 169,100, Metro at 160,400, 24 hours at 108,100, the National Post at 84,400 and 24 heures at 31,900. In weekly online readership, the Citizen leads with 124,200, followed by the Globe at 67,000, the Sun at 64,800, Le Droit at 53,300 and the Post at 34,600.
Vancouver: The Vancouver Sun leads the pack in total weekly readership with 861,500, followed closely by The Province at 845,900, and not so closely by 24 hours at 452,300, Metro at 315,700, the Globe at 312,200 and the National Post at 187,300. In online weekly readership, the Sun leads again with 150,200, followed by the Province at 103,300, the Globe at 98,000 and the Post at 40,500.
While NADbank has released the readership and demographic data today, the organization’s product data will be released in May.
