Newspapers Top Television: Quality Demographics and Reach

With over 110 million TV households nationwide, television has the potential to reach the vast majority of adults in the U.S. But, only 44 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 ten fold from 10 in 1980 to 103 in 2004, 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 hour per week in 2004.

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

An average issue of a daily or sunday newspaper reaches more adults than an average
half-hour of primetime television.

The average Daily or Sunday newspaper reaches more adults than an average half-hour of primetime television

Source: Mediamark Research Inc. Doublebase 2005

Newspapers Reach a Quality Audience

The best prospects for advertisers – consumers with higher household incomes, more education and more job responsibility – are the heaviest newspaper readers and lightest television viewers.

Newspaper readers are better consumers than television viewers as they have higher household incomes, more education and more job responsibility.

Source: Mediamark Research Inc, Doublebase 2005