Stuff has experienced strong circulation growth in community newspapers, the March 21 Audit Bureau of Circulation results have shown.
33 out of 34 of Stuff’s community newspapers have increased circulation, extending the media organisation’s coverage in areas where New Zealand is growing.
Stuff Group Sales Director, Steve Hutton says: “The jump in circulation reflects demand from local businesses who want to reach local customers.
“It also demonstrates our commitment to getting trustworthy news to local people, which in the post-Covid environment has taken on new importance.”
The Auckland market has also grown significantly – with Stuff’s 10 Auckland community newspapers increasing circulation by almost 90,000 copies in total.
Real estate advertising has been a notable driver of demand, especially in areas such as North Shore and West Auckland, reflecting the growth of the region’s new build areas.
Hutton says: “We’ve invested in our presence in key Auckland growth areas and our advertisers are seeing good results.”
The ABC results also show a significant slowing in the decline of paid newspapers, driven in part by Covid-19, through which we saw a shift in buyer behaviour from casual one-off purchases to more regular newspaper consumption via subscriptions.
Hutton adds: “The Covid-19 lockdown was a particularly buoyant period for Stuff’s paid newspapers, as Kiwis turned to print as a trusted source of news. We saw a significant spike in subscriptions during this time, as people moved away from retail purchases in favour of news delivered to the door.”
