Mobile boosts local media’s audiences by 94 per cent, with the industry now reaching 40.6 million
adults a month in print and digital, according to the local sector’s new cross platform audience
currency JICREG True Local which launches today.
The new system also shows that young people are enthusiastic readers of local news on mobile
phones, with 10 million young adults (aged 15-34) reading local media, local newspapers in print and
digital, on mobile every month.
Published for the first time this week, new net deduplicated audience data from JICREG True Local,
shows that digital provides a 98 per cent uplift to monthly print audiences with 33.6 million people
reading local media in digital every month.
The local media sector launched via JICREG the UK’s first integrated print and online audience
currency Locally Connected in 2009. Now, following the sharp rise of mobile, the sector is following
that success with the launch of JICREG True Local.
The audiences are calculated by RSMB using a combination of PAMCo, Comscore, and audited
circulation data, enabling media agencies and advertisers to see how local media is consumed in
print, mobile and desktop across Great Britain down to postcode sector level for the first time.
JICREG chief executive Keith Donaldson said: “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.
“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.”
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.
Clare O’Brien, ISBA head of media effectiveness and performance, said: “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.
“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.”
Belinda Beeftink, research director, IPA: “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.”
Chairman of Local Media Works, the marketing body for the local media sector,
Simon Edgley said: “JICREG True Local demonstrates not only the local sector’s commitment to
robust and transparent audience measurement, but also that our overall audiences are growing
significantly and more consumers are engaging with their local news brands than ever before.
“It is now time for advertisers and agencies re-examine their adspend to reassess their relationship
with trusted local media platforms.”
• More information can be found here