Monthly Archives: February 2011

Pacific Northwest Inlander Tops All Other Local Media in Spokane

By Sarah Billingsley, Communications Director

In a day when print, as a medium, is relegated to the ranks of 8 tracks and VHS tapes, it is more than a little encouraging to hear some good news on the print side of the alternative weekly industry. It turns out alternative weekly print products are not obsolete. In fact, they are very much a part of our communities. Readers continue to depend on alt weeklies, and follow the scent of these well-written, locally-focused publications.

inlander

Here’s a success story from Spokane, Washington.    The Pacific Northwest Inlander has reached new heights in market penetration.  According to the latest report from The Media Audit, the weekly publication has outpaced not only every section of the daily newspaper, but all other locally-produced media in the marketplace.

“Well, we finally scaled the mountain here – or at least the mountain as I’ve perceived it all these years,” reported Jer McGregor, General Manager of the Pacific NW Inlander

“Last year, in an effort to gain market share while our daily pulled back circulation and laid off staff,  we decided to increase the number of distribution locations and total print run,” continued McGregor.   “So, not only have we surpassed every section of the daily newspaper*, but we’ve also surpassed (for the first-time ever) all other media, all local television newscasts.”

“The 44.9% market penetration is our best-ever market penetration level, ” McGregor said in closing.  ” We’ve been members of AWN about the same length of time we’ve had Media Audit – since the mid 90’s.”

*The Inlander has not yet surpassed the combined Sunday edition of the daily newspaper in the market, The Spokesman-Review but McGregor indicates they are close.   Check out The Media Audit ranker report for the Spokane market and see their killer numbers for yourself.

Spokane_MA

Another media appearing on the ranker (at #13)  is the local InHealthNW Magazine, also published by the Inlander and distributed separately in the marketplace.

Here’s more strong sales points in favor of alt weeklies from Jer McGregor:

Our company’s belief, similar to what can be found in the “Power of Print” campaign, is that success is in the product you deliver, not always how it is delivered.  Our goal is to be the best at delivering “local” to our community, and being closely involved with as many local organizations as possible.

The free distribution method of alternative weeklies, unlike other traditional media, has not been interrupted.  Television is now dealing with a wide range of competition from video games, cell phones, on-demand video and most of all DVR’s that allow users to skip commercials.  Radio now competes with satellite broadcasts, iPods and the deregulation that’s lead to more big-format competition within its own ranks.  Daily newspapers contend with their long-standing pay-for-service format that no longer appeals to as many users.  Weekly newspapers are still available in communities as a desired free product providing important local news and entertainment coverage that so many people are interested in.

There’s been readership evidence to support our ongoing claims alternative weekly readers are young, affluent, and educated, but we also have proof in this market and probably a few others that an alt weekly publication will reach more than any other local media. And that’s good news.

Circulation Audit Firms Surviving in Digital World

By Mark Hanzlik, Executive Director

We’ve been spending a lot of time lately analyzing the rapidly evolving web metrics measurement universe; primarily looking at which methodologies are the most accurate, reliable and which companies are best suited for advertisers’ needs. But many of our clients still reside in the brick & mortar world of print advertising, so, we thought it would be a good opportunity to look back at the print publishing circulation audit process—giving us a comparative view of both digital and print reporting.

It’s been some time since we last pounded the circulation audit drums for the publishing industry.   Our impetus for previous analyses of the circulation audit process were driven primarily by advertisers looking for zip code targeted circulation reports. We’ve also offered circulation audit primers that reinforced the importance of using audit reports when selling print advertising space.

Here’s the full story posted on The Macintosh Wizard and PC Tech Log . today.

Stay tuned next month, we’ll post our analysis of web metrics and research firms.

The Media Audit versus Scarborough Research

By Mark Hanzlik, Executive Director

It may seem like old news now, but when we finally inked a new contract with International Demographics late last summer, it was the result of many months of evaluation, negotiation and an important comparison with The Media Audit’s closest research competitor, Scarborough Research.

Since last October, we’ve participated in a number of research training sessions and webinars presented by The Media Audit staff, and one of the latest programming streams was their side-by-side evaluation with Scarborough Research. Though The Media Audit staff admitted the presentation was also a sales deck for their research product, the comparison was helpful. It’s an important part of the ongoing evaluation of the syndicated research we have invested in and use often in our media and sales strategies alike.

Here’s a single-sheet side-by-side we developed as a result of information gathered from both The Media Audit and Scarborough. For more background on the process or more detailed side-by-side information, contact our office (see below).

MAvScarb

You can also download this research comparison file in higher resolution format from our web site.

Another notable change to our research investment this year was the addition of the online/internet research data that is gathered alongside the other media categories (radio, print, broadcast tv, cable tv, etc.) by The Media Audit. We have already produced more online media RANKER REPORTS than any of the print ranker reports from previous years.

Note: HanzMediaInc.  leases a multi-year license for The Media Audit research for all markets to be used for AWN and other clients and associates of Hanzlik Media Management.  For more information, contact mark@awn.org / 916-551-1776 or sarah@awn.org / 916-551-1770 x27