NEW YORK: Newspapers, it seems, have a knack for getting people what they want. According to a new study released by Newspaper Services of America and co-funded by the Newspaper Association of America, 60% of respondents said that newspapers deal with issues they care about. That beat out TV, radio, magazines, and the Internet.
Newspapers also deliver the most comprehensive source of news, said 46% of those polled. Thirty six percent of respondents said that TV has the most solid news lineup and 35% said the Internet did. Magazines and radio scored lower, 7% and 12%, respectively.
Additionally, 42% of those surveyed said that newspaper advertising is the most credible. And 35% said newspapers are the best environment for product selection, barely edging out TV (30%), magazines (29%), and the Internet (25%).
The national study, conducted by Millward Brown, polled 3,013 adults 18 and over in a Web-based interview. Respondents are equally divided between men and women and have read three or more issues of the newspaper in the past seven days. It does not take into account online or free newspapers.
While newspapers outperformed other media in news delivery, it is one of the worst in providing entertainment. Only 11% of those surveyed look to newspapers as a source for entertainment; 61% said they turn to TV.
The Internet is the number one place people look when they need information, according to 63% of those surveyed. Only 21% feel that way about newspapers.
Jennifer Saba (jsaba@editorandpublisher.com) is associate editor at E&P.
