Roy Morgan Research reveals The West as fastest-growing daily newspaper brand in Australia: Print + digital audiences up 26.2% year-on-year

August 25 2021, 9:56 am | BY Kim Shaw | No Comments
Roy Morgan Research reveals The West as fastest-growing daily newspaper brand in Australia: Print + digital audiences up 26.2% year-on-year

Seven West Media’s The West Australian has taken the crown as the best performing daily newspaper in the country, with its cross-platform readership surging 26.2% year-on-year. The West’s daily print and digital readership has grown more than any other Australian newspaper in the past 12 months, up 858,000 people year-on-year to an average monthly readership of 4.14 million.

 

The data released by Roy Morgan Research revealed The West’s huge growth in the past year is the biggest rise by any major metropolitan newspaper during the same period. The West’s print readership alone increased 23% year-on-year and The Sunday Times was up 40%. The West’s biggest increase was among people aged 14 to 29, which grew 89% year-on-year.

West Australian Newspapers editor-in-chief Anthony De Ceglie said the incredible trajectory is the result of the company’s mission to “turbo-charge” its digital offerings by diversifying into audio and video.

“I’m really proud of how we’ve transformed our online offerings to be world class. By turbocharging our content to attract a wider and younger audience, we’ve hit new highs and cemented The West as a leading voice in Australia,” Mr De Ceglie said.

“Our investment in original reporting and content has helped us because a significant force in the media landscape. The West is the number one place people turn to in WA for trusted news, information and insights on the topics that matter to them.

“With a deep understanding of our audience, our print and digital journalism speaks directly with our readers and connects with them in a distinctive way. We look forward to building on the incredible success we’ve seen over the past 12 months,” he said.

The Roy Morgan data also showed The West out-performed any other newspaper brand in terms of market penetration, with 82% of people in WA (1.79 million people) reading The West’s print or digital mastheads every month. Approximately 17% of the WA population read a printed copy of The West every day.

Roy Morgan Single Source, 12 months to 30 June 2021 All people 14+.The West Australian, (Mon-Sat net), The Sunday Times, thewest.com.au, PerthNow in last 4 weeks.. 2. Vs The Australian, AFR, Daily Tele, SMH, The Age, Herald Sun, Courier Mail, Advertiser.