Vancouver's Free Daily Newspapers

Vancouver, BC -- A new Ipsos-Reid survey shows that most (77%) Lower Mainland residents have heard of at least one of the new, free daily newspapers available in the region. Readership of these newspapers is on the rise, with four-in-ten (40%) Lower Mainland residents saying they've read at least one of Metro, 24 hours or Dose, up from 31% just one month ago. Despite their increasing readership, these new papers do not appear to be having much of an impact on sales of the paid daily newspapers. Only 5% of readers say they are purchasing other daily newspapers less often as a result of the introduction of these free daily newspapers.

"These new papers are clearly attracting the attention of Lower Mainland residents," says Catherine Rogers, Senior Research Manager and leader of Ipsos-Reid's western Canada media practice. "They also seem to be expanding newspaper readership, rather than simply cannibalizing existing readership."

These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid telephone poll conducted May 11th to May 16th, 2005 with a randomly selected sample of 500 adult residents of the Lower Mainland. The overall results are considered accurate to within 1774.4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire Lower Mainland adult population been polled. The margin of error will be larger for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Lower Mainland population according to the 2001 Census.

Three-Quarters of Lower Mainland Residents Aware of New Free Daily Newspapers

Almost eight-in-ten residents (77%, up from 71% a month ago¹) say they have heard of at least one of the three new, free daily newspapers recently launched in the Lower Mainland.

The survey also asked about awareness of each of the three new, free daily newspapers in the Lower Mainland. 24 hours and Metro have the highest awareness, with about six-in-ten residents saying they have heard of 24 hours (58%, up from 46% a month ago) and Metro (57%, up from 54% a month ago). While awareness of Dose is slightly lower (50%), Dose shows the greatest improvement in awareness from one month ago (up 15 points from 35%)².

Four-in-Ten Residents Have Read These

Four-in-ten residents (40%, up from 31% a month ago) say they have read at least one of the three new, free daily newspapers recently launched in the Lower Mainland.

Similar to awareness, 24 hours has the highest readership at 27% (up from 18% a month ago), followed closely by Metro (25%, up from 20% a month ago). Readership of Dose is slightly lower (20%), but nearly double the level of one month ago (up 9 points from 11%).

Three-in-ten (30%, up from 27% a month ago) say they have read at least one of the three new, free daily newspapers within the past week.

24 hours has the highest past-week readership at 19% (up from 16% a month ago), followed closely by Metro (16%, consistent with 17% a month ago) and Dose (14%, up from 9% a month ago).

Readers Say New Papers Having Negligible Impact on Their Purchases of Paid Daily Newspapers

Only 5% of readers say that they are purchasing the paid dailies available in the region "less often" as a result of the introduction of the three new, free daily newspapers. The vast majority of readers (95%) say that the new, free daily newspapers had no impact on their purchase of the paid dailies in the region.

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¹Survey conducted April 6^th to 12^th, 2005 (500n)
²Dose launched Aprith 4^th, two days before start of fielding of April survey

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Catherine Rogers
Sr. Research Manager
Ipsos-Reid Corporation
604.257.3200
[email protected]

Ipsos-Reid
Ipsos-Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader and the country's leading provider of public opinion research. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos-Reid employs more than 300 researcher professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in Canada, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and on-line panels. Ipsos-Reid's Canadian marketing research and public affairs practices are staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, offering the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada--including the Ipsos Trend Report, the leading source of public opinion in the country--all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Ipsos-Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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