Home Sales & Marketing Tools 2019 Research: Local Newspapers: Engaged and Connected

2019 Research: Local Newspapers: Engaged and Connected

This 2019 research, funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage, finds that print newspaper ads are the most effective and engaging form of advertising.

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Print newspapers come out on top for Ad Engagement.

A 2019 study conducted by Totum Research on behalf of News Media Canada has found that printed newspaper ads engage Canadians more than any other medium, print or digital. Specifically, the findings published in the 2019 Local Newspapers: Engaged and Connected Report reveal that advertisement engagement for print newspapers is nearly two times higher than other media formats, which includes television, radio, digital newspapers, magazines, social media and online searches.

“With the sheer volume of ads Canadians see each day, we know that having an engaged audience is crucial for advertising to break through and drive action. Our research demonstrates that Canadians are paying attention to newspaper ads, likely because of their trusted environment.”

– John Hinds, President and CEO of News Media Canada

Print newspapers outrank other media on Ad Effectiveness.

The study also scored all media on Ad Effectiveness (the degree to which consumers noticed advertising minus the level of annoyance).  With an Advertising Effectiveness Score of 77, print newspapers dramatically outranked all other media tested and were the only medium that scored a positive result. For context, TV had an Advertising Effectiveness Score of -7 and social media had a score of -16.

Millennials are engaged with print newspapers.

In addition, millennials in particular scored the highest on both general and news engagement measures with print newspapers. In terms of the advertising engagement measure, printed newspapers ranked second only to the browser search bar.

“It’s clear from this research that when Canadians are reading their local paper, they’re engaging with newspaper ads at a deeper level than they are with other media formats.  This new information confirms the power of newspaper advertising and we hope, will help marketers reconsider advertising in local newspapers across the country.”

– John Hinds, President and CEO of News Media Canada

About the Study

This study was conducted by Totum Research on behalf of News Media Canada.  Online interviews (800) were conducted in February 2019 across all provinces, in English and French. Respondents were asked to rate media measured on 16 different engagement characteristics (7 General Engagement, 5 News Engagement, 4 Advertising Engagement).  Results were indexed based on ratings for each media compared to the average rating.

For more information, contact Kelly Levson, Director of Marketing and Research, at klevson@newsmediacanada.ca.

 

This project was produced with the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. The content of this study represents the opinions of the authors and does not necessarily represent the policies or the views of the Department of Canadian Heritage or the Government of Canada. 

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