Road Signs

Depending upon who is paying for a survey and who is interpreting it, a silver lining is always possible. For example:

MediaPost reports that a recently released Scarborough USA Study of the Integrated Newspaper Audience – those who actually read a newspaper in print or online – revealed that 74% of all U.S. adults(171 million persons) read a newspaper during the week surveyed. The trade newsletter quoted backhanded praise of the results from Scarborough vice president Gary Meo, “ …given the fragmentation of media choices, print newspapers are holding on to their audiences relatively well.”  John F. Sturm, president and CEO of the Newspaper Association of America, was quoted with this unlikely take from the Scarborough findings “…this data also provides further evidence that newspapers reach a highly educated, affluent audience.”

Another Media Post summarized an Adweek Media/Harris survey of newspaper readership, “the era of Americans reading a daily newspaper every day is coming to an end.” Only two in five Americans do so. Seven in ten read a newspaper once a week and 81% once a month. Ten percent never read a newspaper. That number jumps to 17 percent in the 18 to 34 age group while the number who read a newspaper every day drops to less than 25 percent.

MediaPost also reported that a study by the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism revealed that 95% of what the public learns is “still overwhelmingly driven by traditional media, primarily newspapers.”

And, a Center for Media Research report of another AdweekMedia/Harris poll shows that newspapers and magazines get the most votes of any medium when it comes to where they can find the best bargains. Yet, the Outsell News Users research predicts steep drops in newspaper circulation according to another Center for Media research brief. The brief also notes that Google drives some readers to newspapers but 44% of Google News visitors scan headlines without accessing a newspaper site. Read the rest of this entry »

Not unprecedented but unusual for by-the-numbers Consumer Reports, a subjective evaluation of car brands by adults in 1,750 households with at least one car who participated in a telephone survey ranked Toyota first, but Chevrolet and Ford made significant gains. Ford moved into second place and Chevy into fourth after responses in seven categories were tabulated. Domestics also dominated J.D. Powers’ annual customer satisfaction survey.

Good news – sort of – for auto journalists: automotive advertising by manufacturers will rise 14% in 2010 and from all sources 11% to $19.2 billion total according to a Borrell Associates prediction reported by the Center For Media Research. However, Steve Smith writes in www.Minonline.com that a survey of senior executives indicates money supporting print outlets will decrease and dollars for interactive media will go up. For example, a new Cadillac ad campaign described by Gavin O’Malley in Online Media Daily includes, “a pushdown format, interactive wallpaper, and a custom 3D cube, along with a variety of other interactive features like videos, photo galleries, “360 tours,” and real-time color selection for users.”

And, the squeeze on print dollars very probably explains why Media General, Inc. plans to consolidate the copy-editing and design functions of its newspapers in Winston-Salem, N.C., Richmond, Va. and Tampa, Fla. . . . Which makes 6 Tips for Recovering Journalists a timely offering (with elaborations) by Mary Ann Hogan in Poynter Online: 1) Learn Math, 2) Never Worry About Your Advanced Age, 3) Learn Multi Media, 4) Have a web site and a cool Facebook page, 5) Don’t spend too much time with journalists still in newsrooms and 6) Spend most of your time with creative, innovative types.

Something like a dead end sign, a recent MIT Sloan School of Management study concludes that the more precise audience targeting becomes the less profitable the targeting. That’s because, according to The Center for Media Research, the technology for reaching a specific audience also enables more competition for that audience and thus splinters the profit in doing so.

Newspaper autowriters have long walked the line between news and advertising, striving for journalistic credibility while avoiding affronts to their publisher’s auto advertisers. The credibility part has become more difficult at the Dallas Morning News after editor Bob Mong and Sr. Vice President of Sales, Cindy Carr, announced, “To better align with our clients’ needs, we will be organized around eleven business and content segments with similar marketing and consumer profiles including: sports, health/education, entertainment, travel/luxury, automotive, real estate, communications, preprints / grocery, recruitment, retail / finance, and SMB / Interactive.”

Tearing down of the wall between news and advertising brought a storm of Internet reactions ranging from “Another Death In Dallas” by acanuck on DagBlog to “cautious optimism” by “Newsosaur” blogger Alan Mutter, as reported by www.mathewingram.com/work. Terry Box, who has covered autos and the industry at the paper for 15 years reports that so far nothing has changed for him. “I will continue to report to my editor in Business News, Laura Jacobus, and the editor of the department, Dennis Fulton. The general managers will be over advertising people and have considerable lateral power as I understand it. Jim Moroney, our publisher, sent out a clarification of sorts late last week that said editors will continue to have final authority over all news — which is all fine and good. But you have to wonder why they set the system up in the first place.” Mong said the move is, “the next step toward becoming the most comprehensive and trusted partner for local businesses in attracting and retaining customers and continuing to generate important, relevant content.” Read the rest of this entry »

Nice if it is a harbinger of things to come – Toronto’s Globe and Mail newspaper has “revved up its auto section both online and print,” reports Kristin Laird in Marketing Magazine’s Media News. She quotes the paper’s advertising vice-president, Andrew Saunders, “You’ll be able to find passionate journalism that matches the person’s passion for driving–that’s going to be the key point of difference. Everyone drives, so we wanted to take a more lifestyle approach.” The paper’s weekly auto section is now titled “Globe Drive” and its online companion www.GlobeDrive.com has added more photos and video.

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Wooden Horse News reports: Aftermarket Business, the auto title from Advanstar Communications, will go online-only. The December issue will be its last. Starting in January, the title will publish a monthly digital version as well as twice-weekly e-newsletters. . . . A survey of 3,800 people in a cross-section of newspapers’ newsrooms revealed they are not the ones slowing the change from print to digital. As reported by Mediapost, a study from Northwestern University’s Media Management Center, found almost half of today’s journalists think their newsroom’s transition to digital is moving too slowly. Those most favoring the change are involved in internet use outside of work and those with knowledge of online users and their preferences. . . . However, in a speech by New York Times executive editor Bill Keller to the paper’s digital staff, he described prioritizing the web at the paper as ”our Manhattan Project,” according to Zachary Stewart writing for the Nieman Journalism Lab.

The Washington Post will merge its print and online operations January 1,2010 . . . Volkswagen is launching its newest GTI without using any traditional media. Only online will be used, with a free downloadable game featuring the car and a contest with six real cars being awarded.

“Social purpose is the new social status,” according to Mitch Markson, chief creative officer for Edelman Worldwide and creator of the company’s, “goodpurpose Consumer Study.” As reported by Aaron Baar in Marketing Daily, the study shows consumers are more inclined than ever to spend their money with companies and brands that have dedicated themselves to a social purpose. As many as 67 percent of the 6,000 persons surveyed in 10 countries said they would switch brands if another brand of similar quality sported a cause they were interested in and the same number said they would buy a hybrid car over a luxury car. Click here to get a PDF of the study (48 pages).

The Journal News, a Gannett-owned newspaper in White Plains, NY, has laid off its entire business staff. The paper will run The Wall Street Journal Sunday content to provide business coverage. . . . The Rocky Mountain Independent has quit posting original news. The web site started by former staffers of the shuttered Rocky Mountain News had 200 subscribers, who will get refunds. Editor Steve Foster cited the poor economy for the retreat from paid-for online news coverage, which he considers essential to the quality of news. . . .The New York Times reports that a significant non-profit web news operation is slated to begin in the San Francisco Area in 2010. Richard Perez-Pena writes that the Bay Area Project joins, “a $5 million initial grant from F. Warren Hellman, expertise and labor supplied by KQED-FM, which has a 28-person news staff, and the 120 students of the University of California, Berkeley’s graduate school of journalism.”

Google has revealed Google Wave, an experimental project which it calls “the email of the future.” Gavin O’Malley, reporting for Online Media, quotes Google software engineer Lars Rasmussen, “A ‘wave’ is equal parts conversation and document, where people can communicate and work together with richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more.”. . . The Washington Post has spelled out a social media code of conduct for its staffers – be it for personal or professional use. The reasoning, as posted on Paidcontent.org’s blog, “Our online data trails reflect on our professional reputations and those of The Washington Post. Be sure that your pattern of use does not suggest, for example, that you are interested only in people with one particular view of a topic or issue.” Therefore, “Post journalists must refrain from writing, tweeting or posting anything – including photographs or video – that could be perceived as reflecting political, racial, sexist, religious or other bias or favoritism that could be used to tarnish our journalistic credibility. This same caution should be used when joining, following or friending any person or organization online.”

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