The bottom line for this survey, which tracked readership last fall, seems to be that most papers are losing readers, particularly readers who are 18-34. A free subway paper in Toronto, though, is doing very well with a big jump in readership. In Vancouver, The Province and The Sun switch places as the most-read paper in that city.
Every paper, of course, as their own take on these numbers. Here's a selection:
The Globe and Mail: Free Toronto daily's readership surges Subway handout Metro jumps 22% as stability reigns in newspaper marketplace
Metro, the free tabloid handed out in Toronto's subway system, has seen substantial year-over-year growth in readership in a national newspaper marketplace that has otherwise shown remarkable stability . . . [The Globe also issued a press release.]
The Toronto Star: Star dominates rivals in fight for Toronto readers
Industry survey confirms huge lead
Other papers lost readers in 2003
The newspaper war still rages, but the Toronto Star remains by far the dominant newspaper in greater Toronto while its three major rivals have all lost readers, an industry report shows. A survey released yesterday by Newspaper Audience Databank Inc. shows that in 2003 an average 1,036,800 people read the Star the previous weekday, unchanged from 2002 . . ..
[The Star also issued a press release]
National Post: I could find no story online from the National Post but that paper did put out a a press release.
Calgary Sun: Sun tops with families
Your Calgary Sun is rising faster than ever. So fast, in fact, that it's now the most read daily paper among 18-49-year-old Calgarians. And we're also the leading daily newspaper through the week and on Sundays for city families ...
