Download - GateHouse research findings
CONSUMER INSIGHTS
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
RESEARCH
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
• We’ve invested heavily in reader research
• Trying to understand what will balance, grow audience
• We haven’t asked readers what makes them happy
• Ensure results are actionable
• This is a form of data – a very important one
PANEL AND SURVEY OVERVIEW
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
5,900 member consumer panel, across 17 GateHouse markets
• Panelists recruited via newspaper and online ads, email blasts, Publisher/Editor letters
• Survey response rate: 20-50%, always 1,000+ respondents
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
To date, seven print-focused content surveys fielded:
• Baseline survey: Studied consumers’ attitudes and interests with respect to local news, with specific focus on GHS print and digital products
• Content interest survey: Gauged panelist interest in broad categories and specific topics of content
• Two prototype surveys: Tested content/photo mix and design preferences
• Three topical surveys: Gauged interest in category subtopics and presentation format
– Things to Do– National, International and State News– Sports
PANEL AND SURVEY OVERVIEW
KEY INSIGHTS
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GHS paper – strong brands, but vulnerable
• In almost all markets surveyed, the leading source for local news
• Emotional connections to papers run deep
KEY INSIGHTS
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Panelists desire paper to feel more substantive – highlighting need for strong enterprise reporting
• Trustworthy, high quality, investigative, complete, in-depth and smart are among top attributes align with positive evaluations
• ‘More local coverage in the Main section’ and ‘More depth to news stories’ = greater value
• Preference for front pages with more text, fewer photos
KEY INSIGHTS
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Five areas readers consistently say are most important to them across GHS markets:
1. Things to do
2. Investigative
3. Crime
4. Nation and world
5. Politics and government
KEY INSIGHTS
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Content interests are more similar than different across markets
• Investigative, “things to do” rank consistently high
• Personal impact, relevance increase interest
• Variations in emphasis exist by market
• Story interests mostly similar among men and women
PAGE ONE DESIGN
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Two rounds of prototype testing included more traditional designs…
PAGE ONE DESIGN
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
...And less traditional, with greater emphasis on photography
CLEAR WINNER IDENTIFIED
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
3-day forecast top right Preferred 70% to 12% over Actual P1(asked in Peoria, Norwich, Holland)
Skybox has 3 story items, with varied color backgrounds Preferred 56% to 22% over Actual P1(asked of all 8 markets)
CLEAR WINNER IDENTIFIED
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Consistent use of 4 column photoPhoto/edit mix ratings significantly higher in more traditional presentations
CLEAR WINNER IDENTIFIED
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Briefs in rail separated as “National News” and “Local News” Preferred 61% to 21% over Actual P1(asked of all 8 markets)
CLEAR WINNER IDENTIFIED
AREAS OF FOCUS
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• Enterprise Content
• Package Labels
• Brag Boxes
• Things to Do
• Localize Content
• Design Process
IN-DEPTH NEWS
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
• In-depth news No. 1 desired category for readers across the board.
• Content should be look forward, not reactive to news
• Shoot for in-depth news a few times a week— Investigative projects— Topical journalism— Advancing the story forward
IN-DEPTH NEWS
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
• Focus on your center piece
• Plan your center pieces out at least a
week in advance
— Avoid standalone photos
— Don’t let best art drive your center
piece
— If big news happens, adjust
PACKAGE LABELS
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
• Use labels that point out your great journalism
• Special report, Sunday in depth, follow up
• Don’t overblow it; say what it is
BRAG BOXES
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
• Use to explain how you approached the story
• Brag about a reporter’s experience or recent award
• Show the reader value
LOCAL EVENTS, THINGS TO DO
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Top interests:
• Exhibitions (museums, galleries, historical sites) – both local and regional
• Day trips (within a few hours)
• Festivals, both local and regional
• Restaurant-related information (reviews, news, cheap eats)
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Priorities for major event coverage:
• Pre-event schedule details and logistics info are of greatest interest
• Simple calendar reminders leading up to the event are well received
• After the event, a news report on its main features and a review of the good/bad are appreciated
• Most are also interested in the event’s background beforehand, and in the page of event photos afterwards
LOCAL EVENTS, THINGS TO DO
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Action steps:
• Weekday, weekend Things to Do on Calendar page (“5 Things To Do”)
• Daily calendar
• Exhibitions and festivals
• Narrative advance with practical info
• Recap with picture pages
• Ongoing features on regional daytrips
• Restaurant coverage
• Openings and closings
• Weekly reviews of local eateries
• Best restaurants for… feature
LOCAL EVENTS, THINGS TO DO
WIRE COVERAGE
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
What are readers looking for when it comes to non-local coverage?
Acknowledge primary role is coverage; yet, don’t want to rely on TV/the Internet for national world news
• While 64% select TV or the Internet as their primary source for national and international News, nearly 50% include their local paper in their ‘Top 3’ sources
WIRE COVERAGE
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
What are readers looking for when it comes to non-local coverage?
• Expect coverage of breaking news, with state-wide or national impact
• Tend to prefer short summaries and visuals/graphics
• Sensitive to the limited resources/space their paper has for this coverage
Hierarchy of interest: State, National, International news
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Topics generating most interest:
• Politics/Government: State legislative actions/major issues; State politics; Government spending; Legislation in process (national); Issues of intense national debate; and, Federal political leaders
• Breaking News: Crime, bombings, verdicts; Natural disasters; and, Extreme weather
• Business: General economic reports; Transportation industry news; and, Regulatory news
• Science and Technology: Medical technology; Environmental tech; Healthcare tech (m-health, impacts of tech on health)
• Health: Health studies (medical breakthroughs); Healthcare legislation; Nutrition; and, Health coverage/insurance
WIRE COVERAGE
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Topics generating least interest:
• National entertainment news
• Religious and spiritual news
• Specific items: “U.S. banking industry news, such as a large bank’s earnings report or management changes” and “Prisons, such as the conditions in federal penitentiaries”
WIRE COVERAGE
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Action Steps:
Front page rail• Feature National briefs
and State/Regional briefs
Wire content allocation• Put a premium on state
content. A good news hole balance is 65% State / 35% National. Percentage can be used for 1A (4 days State, 3 days National)
WIRE COVERAGE
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Action Steps:
State/National wire story on A1
• Add local level to story
Open Pages• State: Every day• National/International:
If space allows
WIRE COVERAGE
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Localizing wire
• The traditional way: Add a few explanatory graphs along with quotes in a wire story.
• Write a sidebar to the wire story.
• Turn the wire story into the sidebar and make the localized story the lead.
WIRE COVERAGE
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Localizing wire
• Create a factbox or bullet list to run with the wire story.
• Create a “what this means for you” header in a breakout box.
• Build a refer in the wire story to an upcoming package, project, series that will take a closer look at the topic as it relates to the readers.
WIRE COVERAGE
SPORTS COVERAGE
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Interest
• Sports interest is skewed toward men, ages, 35+. At every level of sports, men express notably higher interest than women.
• Those surveyed favored football, basketball and baseball coverage.
• Those surveyed had stronger interest in local sports coverage than regional or national.
SPORTS COVERAGE
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
The “ideal” sports section:
• 40% of sports enthusiasts would like 4+ Sports pages
• Want 60% of coverage to be Community, and nearby College Sports
• Interested in game reports, round-ups
• Majority believe photos add to quality
• Majority are not bothered by missing late scores – but find them online from sources other than the paper
SPORTS COVERAGE
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Top takeaways
• Focus on game stories and local results on your scoreboard page
• State/national content important; one of four stories on the section front
• Have rail and include local and state/national briefs
• Utilize as many local photos as possible
RECAP AND NEXT STEPS
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Recap: Research recommendations that apply to all
Page One:• 3 sky boxes
• 3-day weather
• 4 stories, including 1 State/National story
• 4 column photos
RECAP AND NEXT STEPS
ENTERPRISING | ENGAGING | ENTERTAINING | ENLIGHTENING
Recap: Research recommendations that apply to all
Other:• State page, daily
• Calendar, daily
• 5 Things to Do this Weekend (Wednesday or Thursday) and This Week (Sunday)
• Run games stories in sports and photo features
• Use labels, brag boxes
• Focus on enterprise