Erik Sass, Feb 24, 2010
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/’fa=Articles.printFriendly&art_aid=123138
Newspaper Web sites are the single most-visited and most-trusted source of online local news, according to a survey of 3,050 adult Internet users by comScore conducted on behalf of the Newspaper Association of America.
Overall, 57% of respondents said local newspaper Web sites were their No. 1 destination for various kinds of local information ? more than all other online local news media combined. The survey also revealed high rankings for the trustworthiness of advertising on local newspaper Web sites.
Breaking local content and advertising down into various categories, 29% said newspaper Web sites were their primary destination for local news, 27% ranked them first for local sports, 26% for local entertainment, and 39% for local classifieds.
Setting aside duplicates, this comes to well over half of those surveyed. The proportion of respondents ranking newspaper Web sites as their primary destination for local content rose to 60% among college-educated respondents and 63% among well-to-do households.
‘The Clarkston News is trusted, and has earned its credibility over the course of 100-plus years,? said Sherman Publications advertising manager Eric Lewis. ‘The trust we have earned from the community transfers right over to the internet.?
According to CNews online tracking, as of March 3, over 4,300 people visit www.clarkstonnews.com every day. Each visit, according to the report, last over 12 minutes.
Not surprising, noted publisher, Jim Sherman, Jr. ‘Much of our print content goes online, but not everything. Online, however, there are different attractions. Viewers can get their up-to-date local weather, watch old movies, look up local restaurant menus, discover new recipes — even upload pictures and videos to our community galleries.?
The NAA noted that newspaper Web sites beat various competitors ? most notably the Web sites of local TV stations ? across the board in terms of trustworthiness as well. Local newspapers were chosen as the most trustworthy source of local news by 34% of respondents, compared to 23% for local TV news sites.
They also ranked ahead of local TV news sites in local sports (30%-24%), local entertainment (30%-20%), and local classifieds (42%-13%). For advertising in general, 36% said they considered local newspaper Web sites to be trustworthy advertising media, compared to 23% for local TV news sites and just 12% for online portals in general.