Local

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Free Press best-read metro newspaper in Canada: study

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 03/31/2011 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

WINNIPEG'S population is up and so is the number of people reading The Winnipeg Free Press, a new study released Wednesday shows.

In 2010, the number of adults reading the paper each week was 393,500, compared to 389,300 the year before, Newspaper Audience Databank Inc. (NADbank) reported.

With Winnipeg's 2010 adult population up to 593,400 from 574,700 in 2009, the percentage of print Free Press readers took a slight dip -- from 68 per cent of adults in 2009 to 66 per cent last year. But the number of online readers has risen over that period as well.

"Basically our numbers remained stable," said publisher Bob Cox.

"Interestingly, the actual number of Free Press readers rose in all but one category and overall readership was up, in real numbers, by 1.4 per cent," he said.

In fact, the Free Press remains the best-read of any major metro newspaper in Canada, and Winnipeg remains the top newspaper market in Canada.

Winnipeg's total print and online weekly newspapers engage 83 per cent of the adult population, according to NADbank. The city's closest rivals are Ottawa-Gatineau and Vancouver, each with 80 per cent readerships.

Combining its print and online readership, the Free Press reaches 70 per cent of adults in its market, according to NADbank, and has done so for the past few years. This puts it ahead of every major daily in Canada from the Calgary Herald, at 56 per cent, to the Toronto Star, at 52 per cent.

Readership is defined as the number of adults reading the news -- it doesn't matter whether they paid to have it delivered to their door, they read it online, or they picked it up in a coffee shop for free.

NADbank, the research arm of the Canadian daily newspaper industry, measures those who have read a newspaper regardless of how they received it.

The Winnipeg Sun, which started giving away copies of its print edition, had a two per cent increase in its weekly readership, the data indicate.

"What the figures show is that we have a steady audience that is growing online," said Cox.

"We are holding our audience better than other media, as radio and TV see their audiences splintering," he said. "We have the best penetration of any major metro newspaper in the country and we're proud of that."

-- Staff

Key stats

231,100 Winnipeg adults (39 per cent) read the Winnipeg Free Press every weekday.

292,800 Winnipeg adults (49 per cent) read the Winnipeg Free Press every Saturday.

417,300 Winnipeg adults (70 per cent) read the Winnipeg Free Press in print or online every week.

Source: 2010 NADbank Study

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 31, 2011 A2

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.