2023 Newspaper Study shows local papers continue to play vital role in the community

I was excited to see an e-mail arrive in my inbox earlier this week from America’s Newspapers, an advocacy group that is dedicated to, as they put it, “providing research, education and practical information aimed at optimizing newspapers’ business operations, deepening their community engagement and enhancing the quality of their journalism.”

I get e-mails from America’s Newspapers regularly, but this one really caught my eye as it contained the results of a recent national study about newspapers and their readership. The study, called the 2023 Local Newspaper Study, took into account the responses of 5,000 people that were contacted by an independent research firm. Here are some of the most intriguing findings…

According to the findings, eight out of ten Americans read print or digital newspaper content every month. Now, I’m not the world’s best with math, but that sounds like a majority to me.

In addition, 63 percent of readers will access their local news through both print AND digital platforms.

This new study found that 78 percent of newspaper readers are under the age of 65, which may surprise some of you. 71 percent of readers have lived in their communities for five years or more, and 61 percent are homeowners. This reaffirms to me that a majority of newspaper readers are people who have a vested interest in their local community. They care about where they live, and they want to stay engaged with the important events that are going on there. Reading your local newspaper is, no doubt, the best way to do that.

When looking at different generational groups, the study showed that people 75-years and older still prefer home delivery of their local paper. Gen Xers and Baby Boomers (ages 40-74) seem to prefer checking a newspaper’s website each day, while the youngest readers, Millennials and Gen Z, will mostly keep an eye on social media.

Here at the News Journal, we make a strong effort to cover all of these bases for our readership, getting the print edition out and into people’s hands each week while also keeping our website and social media feeds regularly updated with fresh content.

When it comes to public notices and information about local government, the local newspaper is undoubtedly the most trusted source, with 55 percent of respondents choosing this medium.

The study found that a whopping 74 percent of Americans believe that it is important to have a local newspaper in their community for five main reasons. Those are: 1) To stay informed, 2) To feel connected with the community, 3) To help them decide where they stand on local issues, 4) To find out about places to go and things to do, and 5) To be able to talk to other people about community news.

Those are all pretty good reasons to continue picking up your local newspaper if you ask me, and they are also equally good reasons to begin picking it up if you aren’t already.

In terms of advertising, newspaper still offers business owners the most bang for their buck. That is because, according to the study, newspaper advertising reaches an advertiser’s best customers and prospects.

The study tells us that six out of ten Americans will use newspaper ads to help them decide on what brands to buy and/or what local products and services are best. This puts us with local TV advertising at the top of the list in terms of most effective advertising, and still has us way ahead of other methods such as junk mailers, radio ads and social media.

Most importantly, the 2023 Local Newspaper Study found that 84 percent of American adults, or about 218 million people, can be reached through print or digital newspapers each and every month. If any of this surprises you, then I encourage you to do your own research. Visit www.newspapers.org to read the findings for yourself.

My aim in writing this column has in no way been to brag or to gloat, but simply to show that your local newspaper continues to be your most reliable and trusted source for news, information and advertising. Tell a friend!