Study: Print media still strong in communities

Written by www.pulseresearch.com. | 30 August 2010

Portland, OR – Print media may face significant changes in a difficult economy, but it is far from dead according to the Pulse of America survey. About 12 percent of readers surveyed indicated their readership of printed publications will increase during the next 12 months and 41.6 percent indicate it will remain the same.

The recent study also showed encouraging signs of reader planned shopping activity. In the midst of a difficult economic climate, survey participants purchasing plans during the next 12 months is stronger than generally perceived.

Despite the recent economic downturn, opportunities continue to emerge for retailers and publishers as 25.5 percent of readers plan to increase their spending in the next 12 months.

Pulse Research, an independent research firm, conducted its online Pulse of America Survey, March 16-April 15, 2009. Readers in all 50 States are represented in the findings with more than 250 publications participating. Publication types participating included daily, weekly, free, alternative, business and ethnic publications.

Also of interest is that 32 percent of readers believe that the print edition of newspapers will be around 20 years or longer, while 28 percent state the print edition will be around for less than five years.

Additional numbers to consider

• 57% frequently or always read the classified ads.
• 73% frequently or always read retail store ads

When seeking information on automobile shopping for a car online, 28 percent visit the local paper’s site: ahead of Google (22 percent) and Craigslist (18 percent). Sixty-seven percent visited the local paper’s web site in the past 30 days; that’s ahead of Yahoo (56 percent) and MapQuest (46 percent). Only Google was more visited at 75 percent.

In key economic categories such as real estate and automotive, planned reader purchasing during the next 12 months is becoming more positive: 9.6 percent of readers plan to purchase a personal residence, 6.4 percent plan to sell their residence, 6.6 percent plan to remodel their home, 22 percent of readers plan to shop a vehicle dealer in the next 12 months with 8.9 percent planning to purchase a new car and 3.7 percent planning to purchase a new truck.

Retailers should find encouraging reader demand during this time in a wide range of categories according to the survey’s results.

Some examples: 14.1 percent plan to purchase living room furniture, 16.2 percent plan to purchase a laptop computer, 10 percent plan to purchase windows, 62 percent plan to purchase women’s shoes and 8.8 percent plan to purchase a major home appliance.

The Pulse of America survey also indicates positive opportunities for service businesses such as: chiropractors 13 percent, cellular phone providers 16 percent, carpet cleaning 24 percent and massage therapists 20 percent. Purchasing plans are documented for 303 business-advertiser categories including everything from art galleries to wineries.

The overall picture of the reader economy, in short, appears more vibrant than some conventional indicators may suggest.