Newspapers Top Television: Quality Demographics and Reach

With more than 112 million TV households nationwide, television would seem ubiquitous as a medium. But only 45 percent of adults are watching television during an average half-hour of primetime, the peak hours of viewership. Also, the number of available channels per home has increased more than tenfold from 10 in 1980 to 107 in 2006, significantly fragmenting the TV landscape. This has caused a decline in time spent viewing each channel – from 8 hours per week in 1980 to 3 hours per week in 2006. So the TV audience continues to be more elusive for advertisers as they have to spread media dollars across more channels to reach their targets.

So, the TV audience continues to be more elusive for advertisers, as they have to spread media dollars across more channels to reach their targets.

Reaching More Adults

Newspaper reaches more adults than an average half-hour of primetime television.

Source: Mediamark Research Inc., Doublebase 2007

Reaching Upscale Consumers

Newspaper reaches more upscale consumers than television does. And as newspaper readership increases with household income, television viewership generally decreases.

Newspaper reaches more upscale consumers than television viewers.

Source: Mediamark Research Inc., Doublebase 2007