Since the advent of the Internet, there has been no bigger impact in modern history on the shifting of media consumption than the COVID-19 pandemic.
In our role as the Print AOR for a major blue chip client, we take responsibility to best inform them as to how these changes specifically impact magazine and newspaper readership.
Overall readership is up:
More readers are turning to local media outlets for news on the pandemic, including local print. On average, readership of daily local newspapers has risen 50% to 70% since the first Coronavirus patient was confirmed in late February. Magazines are 90% - 97% home delivery, so readership strength is still maintained. Both vehicles have also seen an increase of people switching subscriptions from office to home.
Subscription strong:
Kati Erwert, Senior Vice President of Product and Marketing at the Seattle Times, reported that “Subscriptions are incredibly strong, trending about two to three times where we normally are at this time.” In fact, the paper has reduced its reliance on advertising to the point where subscriptions now account for 60% of revenue. Magazines are also seeing a meaningful uptick in subscription activity. According to TIME Inc., they have seen about a 25K+ increase in subscriptions since mid-March.
Ad revenue is down, reducing clutter:
News outlets across the country have been hit by dropping ad sales, as a result of business closures and event cancellations, as people stay at home to curb the spread of COVID-19. However, this means a less cluttered environment in a time of increased readership for advertisers still active.
Publishers are fully operational:
Most day-day-to-day operations at the national and large local market level continue as usual. Newspapers have been able to print, insert, and deliver all products with no disruption to service. For magazines, wholesalers (who cover almost 90% of the market) are continuing to distribute to most retail without interruption, as are subscription distribution systems.
Quality of print products has thrived
even as editorial shifts:
Editorial teams across the board are showing remarkable dexterity in taking a fresh look at upcoming issues, and reworking those lineups to reflect the realities of the new world we live in.
People want the intimacy
of print right now:
According to Hearst Publishing, they are seeing clear patterns in people looking to balance their lives with the intimate, lean-back experience of print – potentially due to the amount of time people are spending on screens and social, being at home.
Some consumers have wondered about the safety of printed publications during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low, and the risk of catching the virus that causes COVID-19 from a package that has been moved, traveled, and exposed to different conditions and temperatures is also low.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has provided the same “low risk” guidance for packages. This would apply to magazines and newspapers as well.
We recommend that brands continue to take advantage of the significant increase in readership and reduction in advertising clutter by maintaining a consistent presence in print media during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ultimately, even if shelter-in-place orders are lifted and businesses open back up, we foresee the public being weary of rushing right back out into “normal” life and gathering in public places.
To us, this means continued increases in consumption of vehicles like TV (live + streaming) and print for at least the balance of the year.