Keeping pace with the changing needs of advertisers, local media has delivered a new audience measurement currency to cover print and digital.
JICREG True Local, launched today (10 June), reveals for the first time net deduplicated audience data for local newsbrands – showing that digital provides a 98% uplift to monthly print audiences with 33.6 million people reading local media in digital every month.
The new currency, which is calculated by RSMB using a combination of PAMCo, Comscore, and audited circulation data, also shows that mobile boosts local media’s audiences by 94%, with the sector now reaching 40.6 million adults a month in print and digital.
The new system also shows that young people are consuming regional news – with 10 million young adults (aged 15-34) reading local media on mobile every month.
“The new data conclusively proves what we in the industry have known for some time; the demand for highly trusted local news has increased dramatically, resulting in huge audiences for the local sector across print and digital,” said JICREG chief executive Keith Donaldson.
“It is also very encouraging to see conclusive evidence that young people are avid consumers of local news and information, accessing local journalism created by trusted brands on their mobile phones.”
The local media sector launched the UK’s first integrated print and online audience currency, Locally Connected, in 2009 via JICREG. However, following the sharp rise of mobile, the sector has since made efforts to bolster that through the launch of JICREG True Local.
The new currency enables media agencies and advertisers to see how local media is consumed in print, mobile and desktop across the UK down to postcode sector level for the first time.
JICREG is a joint industry currency used by all major publishers and the top 20 communication agencies in the UK. It is governed by a board of representatives from local publishers, the NMA, ISBA and the IPA.
“Local media provides a compelling opportunity for advertisers to precisely target consumers right down to the postcode sector level in a brand safe environment next to trusted local content created by trained journalists,” said Clare O’Brien, ISBA’s head of media effectiveness and performance.
“I hope the launch of JICREG True Local will be a catalyst for some much-needed discussion between advertisers, agencies and media owners about whether more can now be done to make the most of this important and powerful communications platform.”
Meanwhile, Belinda Beeftink, research director, IPA, added: “Media agencies will be particularly pleased today to see both the growing cross platform audiences for local media and the large numbers of younger audiences accessing local news content through mobile.
“This demonstrates unequivocally that local news media remains highly relevant and engaging for the wide variety of audiences and that the industry should rightly be viewed as a key player in the marketing and communications landscape.”
