Local newspaper websites remain the most used and valued online sources of credible and trustworthy local content and advertising: 57% of consumers cite their local newspaper website as the top online source for local information, followed by online portals (54%), and local TV websites (53%), according to a new survey conducted by comScore on behalf of the Newspaper Association of America.
In addition, consumers say local newspaper websites are the most trustworthy sources of online advertising, with ads that are perceived to be more current, credible, and relevant to them.
Below, other findings from the survey Site Matters: The Value of Local Newspaper Web Sites.
As a source of local information, newspaper websites rank high among college-educated and upper-income households: 60% and 63%, respectively.
Newspaper Websites Preferred for Local Content
Asked to rank the types of websites most valued for various types of local content, newspaper sites are the top-ranked source for local information (29%), local sports (27%), local entertainment (26%), and local classifieds (39%), ahead of both local TV websites and online portals.
Local newspaper websites and local TV websites are cited nearly equally (30% and 31%, respectively) as sources most relied on for local news.
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Newspaper Websites Most Trusted for Local Content
Although virtually tied with local TV websites as the one source considered most trustworthy for local news (33% and 32%, respectively), newspaper sites rank higher in all the other content areas, including local information (34%), local sports (30%), local entertainment (30%), and local classifieds (42%).
Newspaper Websites: Advertising
Two in five adults (40%) say their opinion of online advertising is influenced by the type of website on which the ad appears.
Younger adults (age 18-34) are more likely than those 55+ to say the type of website matters for advertising (46% and 31%, respectively).
Among those who agree that their opinion of advertising is influenced by the type of website, local newspaper sites rank first in trustworthiness of the advertising: 36% cite local newspaper websites for trustworthy advertising, compared with local TV websites (23%), and online portals (12%).
Among younger consumers (age 18-34) , local newspaper sites rank high for trustworthiness (35%), compared with TV websites (22%), and online portals (11%).
Newspapers Website Ads Viewed as Current, Credible
Advertising on local newspaper websites is considered more trustworthy because the ads are more current, with credibility and local relevance also important factors: 78% of consumers cite "more likely to be current" as the top reason for trustworthiness, followed by "ads likely to be credible" (48%), and "ads tend to be more local" (46%).
Credibility was an especially important factor for those in upper-income households and the college-educated (57% for each). Advertising considered as "more local" ranked high for those age 55+ (68%) and for the college-educated (55%).
Newspaper websites attracted a record 75 million visitors in January 2010, according to the NAA.
About the data: The survey was conducted by comScore in November 2009 on behalf of the Newspaper Association of America, and is based on a nationally representative sample of 3,055 adults who use websites within the comScore panel. Data were weighted on age, gender, income, and region to match national online targets prior to analysis.
