AUCKLAND (Horizon Research/Pacific Media Watch): Only 9 percent of New Zealand adults find the newspapers and magazines they use totally credible - there is a nett credibility gap overall of 16 percent, new research has shown.
Only 36 percent feel their newspapers and magazines are doing as well as they possibly can, and there is a large number planning to stop buying them or who will definitely or might stop using them - equivalent to an audience loss of another 447,785 New Zealanders nationwide.
Only 2 percent of adults think their newspapers and magazines know exactly what they are interested in, a survey by Horizon Research finds.
There are significant opportunities to improve services and develop new pay-for ones at a time print news media are struggling with falling sales and revenues, despite transferring readers to online services.
The most recent annual report to shareholders by NZME, which owns the New Zealand Herald, other newspapers and magazines and a network of radio stations, including NewstalkZB, illustrates that while online audiences might rise, financial performance deteriorates.
NZME decided not to go ahead with an IPO (issuing more shares for sale) as a result.
| Thinking about the magazines and newspapers you use, how do you feel they are serving you? | ALL |
| As well as they possibly can | 36% |
| They could do better | 30% |
| They could offer me new content | 13% |
| I find they are totally credible | 9% |
| I think they lack a bit of credibility | 21% |
| I think they have no credibility | 4% |
| I feel they are an essential part of my life | 13% |
| They could offer me new services | 5% |
| They do well enough for me to continue using them | 34% |
| I find their advertising interesting | 7% |
| I often act after reading or hearing a media advertisement | 4% |
| I think they're fun to have | 10% |
| I think they are very informative | 25% |
| I think they fully inform me | 7% |
| They know exactly what I'm interested in | 2% |
| I love reading them | 17% |
| I like using the video and radio services some offer with their web sites | 5% |
| I like to keep them around my home or office | 9% |
| I have been growing unhappy with them over time | 14% |
| I might stop using them | 8% |
| I will definitely stop using them | 2% |
| I might stop buying them | 4% |
| I will definitely stop subscribing | 2% |
| I have a feeling they don't completely meet my needs | 12% |
| I would like them to really understand what I most want | 4% |
| None of these | 9% |
| Totally credible | 9% |
| Lack credibility | 25% |
| Net credibility | -16% |
| N (unweighted) | 1701 |
For further information and research on this issue, please email Horizon
Pacific Media Watch
