Content is King: How Newspapers Work

78% of Canadians read a newspaper every week. This figure reveals that newspapers continue to play a valuable role in the lives of Canadians. Truth be told, newspapers are no longer just about newsprint, but printed editions continue to be the most valued channel through which consumers engage with their news. In 2009, NADbank found that 73% of Canadian adults with access to a daily newspaper read one each week. Furthermore, nearly 50% of adults read a newspaper daily.

Who Reported On New Information

According to Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ), “of the stories that did contain new information nearly all, 95%, came from traditional media—most of them newspapers”. This finding demonstrates that newspapers are defined by more than their method of distribution, but their content, its presentation and value.

The PEJ study looked at the news ecosystem of an American city to suggest “that while the news landscape has rapidly expanded, most of what the public learns is still overwhelmingly driven by traditional media—particularly newspapers”. Despite the fact that this study was conducted within an American setting, these findings, which were published earlier this year, have great implications for Canadian newspaper markets.

In recent years past, some media critics argued that newspapers were unlikely to survive. However, NADbank research shows that 79% of online readers also read the printed edition. The printed editions remain the primary way Canadians choose to read, 72% of all readers only read printed editions and only 6% read only online -- while a growing number migrate between the two.

Click here to get the full story published by Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism: