NS Launches Media Portfolio Database

The Newspaper Society has launched its Media Portfolio Database, a crucial stage in the Portfolio Audience Project to develop a multimedia audience currency for the regional press.

The database allows advertisers and agencies for the first time to access details on a range of local multimedia platforms linked to core newspaper titles.

The database, which has been tested by agencies, is searchable by publisher, newspaper, media type and subject matter and, via the NS and JICREG databases, by area.

It is still being populated by regional press publishers and currently holds details on over 2,900 media opportunities, including 850 websites, 1,220 specialist sections and supplements, 870 magazines, and some radio and TV stations.

Paul McGarr, regional press director at Zenith Optimedia said: “Currently, there is not a single source anywhere in the industry that can provide the user with a full list of publisher opportunities, covering print and on-line, and in such an extensive way.

“With publishers uploading all their opportunities, this database has the potential to be as valuable to the regional planner buyer as JICREG, and help provide a comprehensive insight into what platforms and portfolio extensions exist within any given regional area.

“As more and more of our clients look beyond simply the core press product to reach their target audience, this tool is exactly what's required for the current media landscape and most likely to become the only real port of call for such searchable information.”

The Portfolio Audience Project was launched last year by the NS, working alongside JICREG and ABC Electronic.

 It aims to extend the JICREG regional press readership database to encompass regional press internet audiences and provide agencies and advertisers with a geographical system for analysing the combined net reach of a newspaper and its website within the newspaper’s circulation area down to postcode sector level.

Lynne Anderson, communications director at the Newspaper Society, said: “For the first time, advertisers and agencies are able to access detailed information on the rapidly-growing portfolio of media opportunities available from the regional press. This new database brings us a step closer to the launch of an industry-wide multimedia audience measurement system.”

The NS has commissioned Telmar to develop the methodology for integrating internet audience data with print readership data. This is planned to be incorporated into the JICREG readership database to provide combined audience analysis.

The Portfolio Audience Project will be presented to leading readership researchers at the Worldwide Readership Symposium in Vienna in October.

The audience research surveys to be used in the project provide national coverage of the UK, with an estimated combined sample size of over 100,000 adults – believed to be the largest research on internet usage available in the UK.

The project is also drawing from new internet audience research from survey.com, which has been commissioned by Trinity Mirror and other regional press groups.

Dick Dodson, managing director of Telmar Europe, said: “In today's digital environment it is vital for regional newspapers to be able to market their full 'brand'. The Portfolio Audience Project is designed initially to provide combined audiences measurement for newspapers and their internet sites.

“It is based on combining all the recent research from the regional newspaper industry that has measured both media - a list of some 270 surveys and in total some 100,000+ respondents.”

For more information please contact Paul Sinker on 020 7632 7424 or email sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.