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Newspaper FAQs
(Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: How many adults read the newspaper?
Q: What is the highest readership day in a week?
Q: What is “Best Food Day?”
Q: What is the average reader per copy?
Q: Who reads the newspaper?
Q: What are the education levels of the average daily newspaper reader?
Q: What are the education levels of the average Sunday newspaper reader?
Q: What is the average readership by household income for a daily newspaper?
Q: What is the average readership by household income for a Sunday newspaper?
Q: What are the average ages of readers for a daily newspaper?
Q: What are the average ages of readers for a Sunday newspaper?
Q: Doesn’t newspaper advertising cost too much Money?
Q: We’ve already overspent our advertising budget this month, why should I advertise?
Q: The newspaper doesn’t reach my target audience, why should I use it?
Q: How do I know where in the newspaper my ROP ad should run?
Q: Isn’t the newspaper becoming obsolete? No one reads it anymore.
Q: Which day should I run an insert into the newspapers?

Q. How many adults read the newspaper?
 A. In the top 50 markets in the US, 79.9% of adults read a newspaper in a seven-day period, according to the Spring 2003 Competitive Media Index (NAA, Facts About Newspapers, 2003).   top

Q. What is the highest readership day in a week?
 A. In an average of the top 50 markets, 55.1% of adults read a daily newspaper every weekday, and 63.1% read one each Sunday (NAA, Facts About Newspapers, 2003).   top

Q. What is “Best Food Day?”
 A. In the newspaper industry, the day or days on which a newspaper carries the bulk of its food and grocery advertising and editorial is known as “Best Food Day.” While most “Best Food Days” are on Wednesdays, this can be tailored to each individual market based upon the shopping habits of the newspaper’s subscribers. Advertisers should consider advertising with inserts on "Best Food Day" to enhance response, as this day has higher readership numbers than other non-weekend days, particularly for the female demographic.   top

Q. What is the average reader per copy?
 A. The national average for readers per copy is 2.3 (NAA, Facts About Newspapers, 2003).   top

Q. Who reads the newspaper?
 A. 53% of women read the daily newspaper compared to 58% of men. 65% of women read the Sunday newspaper compared to 63% of men (Scarborough Research 2002, Release 1).   top

Q. What are the education levels of the average daily newspaper reader?
 A.

  • Post graduate – 69%

  • College graduate – 61%

  • Some college (1-3 years) – 57%

  • High School graduate – 53%

  • Less than high school graduate – 36%

(Scarborough Research 2002, Release 1).   top

Q. What are the education levels of the average Sunday newspaper reader?
 A.

  • Post graduate – 75%

  • College graduate – 70%

  • Some college (1-3 years) – 66%

  • High School graduate – 61%

  • Less than high school graduate – 41%


(Scarborough Research 2002, Release 1).   top

Q. What is the average readership by household income for a daily newspaper?
 A.

  • $75,000 or more – 64%

  • $50,000 or more – 62%

  • $40,000 or more – 60%

  • Less than $40,000 – 47%


(Scarborough Research 2002, Release 1).   top

Q. What is the average readership by household income for a Sunday newspaper?
 A.

  • $75,000 or more – 73%

  • $50,000 or more – 70%

  • $40,000 or more – 66%

  • Less than $40,000 – 55%


(Scarborough Research 2002, Release 1).   top

Q. What are the average ages of readers for a daily newspaper?
 A.

  • 18-24 – 41%

  • 25-34 – 42%

  • 35-44 – 52%

  • 45-54 – 61%

  • 55-64 – 66%

  • 65+ - 72%

(Scarborough Research 2002, Release 1).   top

Q. What are the average ages of readers for a Sunday newspaper?
 A.

  • 18-24 – 49%

  • 25-34 – 55%

  • 35-44 – 62%

  • 45-54 – 69%

  • 55-64 – 72%

  • 65+ - 75%

(Scarborough Research 2002, Release 1).   top

Q. Doesn’t newspaper advertising cost too much Money?
 A. Considering the newspaper’s demographics and reach, it is one of the most cost-effective methods of advertising available. Frequency can earn lower rates, even as it increases the effectiveness of your advertising (NAA, 2002 Newspaper Advertising Planbook).   top

Q. We’ve already overspent our advertising budget this month, why should I advertise?
 A. Advertising should be considered investing rather than spending. Proper advertising should create additional revenue above the cost of the investment (NAA, 2002 Newspaper Advertising Planbook).   top

Q. The newspaper doesn’t reach my target audience, why should I use it?
 A. Different sections of the newspaper reach different markets, and all you need to do is place your ad in the right section of the newspaper to reach your market (NAA, 2002 Newspaper Advertising Planbook).   top

Q. How do I know where in the newspaper my ROP ad should run?
 A. The real question is where do you place your ad for maximum exposure to your target audience? Newspapers already have the answer. Echo Media can obtain market research on every one of their sections and products so that they can tell you who reads what section. You simply provide an analysis of who your customer is and then we can match that with the proper sections or products.   top

Q. Isn’t the newspaper becoming obsolete? No one reads it anymore.
 A. Newspaper readership is very strong. According to Scarborough Research, 55% of American adults read a newspaper on an average weekday, and Sunday readership is 63%.   top

Q. Which day should I run an insert into the newspapers?
 A.

  • The Sunday paper in particular offers a portable shopping mall with the insert package. Sunday inserts provide a range of occasion-based (Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Sale) and operational based (Oreck Vacuums) benefits that are widely understood by consumers.

  • 52% of consumers say they most often browse through products and look for special savings on Sundays. The Sunday preference is almost universal among nearly all consumer groups. Far behind overall are Saturdays (1 in 5), and Wednesdays and Fridays (about 1 in 8 each).

  • Most daily newspapers have a specified day, outside of Sunday, called “Best Food Day.” This is for retailers to run Inserts and ROP ads to attract customers mid-week. It is called “Best Food Day” because historically grocery stores would run, in addition to Sunday, a mid-week day. “Best Food Day” is usually Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

  • Almost 50% of consumers that read the Sunday paper keep the inserts until midweek, which suggests that preprints combined with ROP ads later in the week could be optimal for many product categories. Friday and Saturday are strong days for advertising consumption, especially for younger adults (NAA, 2001 National Study).

  top

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