In search of the e-audience
Print Media Research: At present, researchers are not yet able to measure the reach of e-papers. For most newspapers, this is not a problem, but it is for the new Cash Daily.
Print media research Research is not yet able to measure the reach of e-papers. This is not a problem for most newspapers, but it is for the new Cash daily. Ringier's free business newspaper Cash daily is still too young to be included in the current Mach Basic. But when the time comes, the paper will have a problem: Mach Basic only shows the reach of the print product. The e-paper, which can be read online and is called "livepaper" in Ringier's publishing jargon, is not included. "Mach Basic currently only collects data on printed media and cinema and has therefore reached the capacity limit for interviews. An additional query about e-paper would go beyond the scope," says Wemf Head of Research Harald Amschler.
It is therefore clear that all newspapers are treated equally. Nevertheless, Cash daily is particularly disadvantaged: According to the publisher, Cash daily's e-paper currently has around 22,000 registered users who receive the e-paper free of charge by e-mail and can read it there. No other print medium currently has so many e-paper subscribers.
According to last year's Wemf circulation statistics, the previous record holders were Südostschweiz with 1,325 and Liechtensteiner Volksblatt with 863 (paid) e-paper subscriptions. NZZ and NZZ am Sonntag follow with 449 and 338 subscriptions respectively.
This shows: For most titles, the additional reach of their e-papers, which is not currently being surveyed, is hardly significant. This is not the case with Cash daily, where the electronic circulation accounts for a third of the actual print circulation (68,000 copies). This means that the live paper could also generate a third of the total Cash daily reach. Possibly even more. Of course, no one is currently in a position to say anything about the number of double subscribers and double readers, or whether an e-paper has more, fewer or the same number of readers as the print edition. However, André Michel, Head of Business Development at the Cash Group, estimates that usage is lower. "Not every registered user reads the live paper every day."
However, other publishers are also interested in the relevant information. After all, cross-media is the big topic everywhere, and more and more media companies are preparing their content and advertising offers across different media. Whichever media they include, they face at least two problems: Either there is no reach research for this (e.g. for mobile, AdScreen), or the currencies are difficult to compare with each other. In short: whether mobile offerings, e-paper subscriptions, web TV, radio streaming, downloads on MP3 players - nobody can currently provide reliable information on usage and even less on possible overlaps. Intermedia research is still in its infancy. Although the Wemf does have a rudimentary intermedia comparison with the MA Strategy, it does not even include all traditional media, let alone the new possibilities. In view of these gaps, the Swiss Advertising Association (SWA) regularly states in its annual reports: "The available intermedia studies are unsuitable for media strategy and planning."
"We are aware of this problem," says Harald Amschler. "But due to the complexity of the task, it will take some time before we can offer an adequate solution." The new Internet research Net Metrix represents a ray of hope, as access to measured websites (Net Audit) can be combined with socio-demographic data (Net Profile) for the first time. In addition, a new working group has been formed within the Wemf Research Commission to specifically address the topic of "Use of cross-media offerings".
Keyword Mach 3When it comes to media research, and print research in particular, the keyword Mach 3 crops up more and more frequently. What is it all about? One thing is clear: the current Mach Basic with the Lpa value, introduced in 2000, is the Mach 2; its predecessor with the so-called K1 value was the Mach 1. The Mach 3 is therefore a successor project, probably associated with a new (print) currency.
However, nobody knows yet what the methodology and currency will look like. This is one of the reasons why Wemf is already launching the topic as a subject for discussion.
Otto Meier, Vice President of the Wemf Board of Directors, points out in the current SWA annual report, for example, the need for new approaches to research (that are better suited to cross-media) and adds: "The industry will not run out of material for discussion regarding the requirements for future media research any time soon. Mach 3, announced by Wemf for 2010/2011, is the appropriate platform for discussing these important issues." The timing of the launch is not set in stone.
Markus Knöpfli
It is therefore clear that all newspapers are treated equally. Nevertheless, Cash daily is particularly disadvantaged: According to the publisher, Cash daily's e-paper currently has around 22,000 registered users who receive the e-paper free of charge by e-mail and can read it there. No other print medium currently has so many e-paper subscribers.
According to last year's Wemf circulation statistics, the previous record holders were Südostschweiz with 1,325 and Liechtensteiner Volksblatt with 863 (paid) e-paper subscriptions. NZZ and NZZ am Sonntag follow with 449 and 338 subscriptions respectively.
This shows: For most titles, the additional reach of their e-papers, which is not currently being surveyed, is hardly significant. This is not the case with Cash daily, where the electronic circulation accounts for a third of the actual print circulation (68,000 copies). This means that the live paper could also generate a third of the total Cash daily reach. Possibly even more. Of course, no one is currently in a position to say anything about the number of double subscribers and double readers, or whether an e-paper has more, fewer or the same number of readers as the print edition. However, André Michel, Head of Business Development at the Cash Group, estimates that usage is lower. "Not every registered user reads the live paper every day."
However, other publishers are also interested in the relevant information. After all, cross-media is the big topic everywhere, and more and more media companies are preparing their content and advertising offers across different media. Whichever media they include, they face at least two problems: Either there is no reach research for this (e.g. for mobile, AdScreen), or the currencies are difficult to compare with each other. In short: whether mobile offerings, e-paper subscriptions, web TV, radio streaming, downloads on MP3 players - nobody can currently provide reliable information on usage and even less on possible overlaps. Intermedia research is still in its infancy. Although the Wemf does have a rudimentary intermedia comparison with the MA Strategy, it does not even include all traditional media, let alone the new possibilities. In view of these gaps, the Swiss Advertising Association (SWA) regularly states in its annual reports: "The available intermedia studies are unsuitable for media strategy and planning."
"We are aware of this problem," says Harald Amschler. "But due to the complexity of the task, it will take some time before we can offer an adequate solution." The new Internet research Net Metrix represents a ray of hope, as access to measured websites (Net Audit) can be combined with socio-demographic data (Net Profile) for the first time. In addition, a new working group has been formed within the Wemf Research Commission to specifically address the topic of "Use of cross-media offerings".
Keyword Mach 3When it comes to media research, and print research in particular, the keyword Mach 3 crops up more and more frequently. What is it all about? One thing is clear: the current Mach Basic with the Lpa value, introduced in 2000, is the Mach 2; its predecessor with the so-called K1 value was the Mach 1. The Mach 3 is therefore a successor project, probably associated with a new (print) currency.
However, nobody knows yet what the methodology and currency will look like. This is one of the reasons why Wemf is already launching the topic as a subject for discussion.
Otto Meier, Vice President of the Wemf Board of Directors, points out in the current SWA annual report, for example, the need for new approaches to research (that are better suited to cross-media) and adds: "The industry will not run out of material for discussion regarding the requirements for future media research any time soon. Mach 3, announced by Wemf for 2010/2011, is the appropriate platform for discussing these important issues." The timing of the launch is not set in stone.
Markus Knöpfli
