Like the comScore data, NAA’s multiplatform study underscores young people’s growing preference for digital newspaper formats. Of those surveyed in the 18-to-34 age group, 24 percent said they read only print newspapers while 34 percent read both print and digital newspapers. For digital-only newspapers, the number jumps to 48 percent.

View this news release online.

For more details about the multiplatform study, read the press release here

• 90% of print-only readers found that “newspapers provide a broad range of news and information in one place.” Results were 85% for print + digital readers and 83% for digital-only readers.

• 61% found that newspapers provide more useful advertising (than other media).

• 61% of print and 60% of tablet users say newspapers “provide a satisfying reading experience for me” – the similarities are striking!

“This information gives us great insights into the drivers of engagement with newspaper media across platforms and shows that the enduring value of newspapers – depth, quality, quantity and dependability – extends to digital platforms as well,” said Caroline Little, NAA president and CEO. “The study also demonstrates that advertisers can effectively reach a shopping audience across newspapers’ multiple platforms.”

For more details about the study, read the press release here.

“There’s a lot of life left in print,” Mary Junck of Lee Enterprises said during a roundtable discussion with newspaper executives and media reporters.

The executives also noted that the synergy being created between print and digital products will enable newspapers to continue as a viable source of news and advertising for many years to come.

“It’s been a tough three years, [but] I think people see a new horizon that offers real opportunities,” said Bob Dickey of Gannett’s community newspaper division.

Jim Moroney of The Dallas Morning News said when the newspaper raised the price of print subscriptions in October, it offered readers 5 percent off if they did not want digital access. About 70 percent paid for digital access, added Moroney, the new NAA chairman. “That was another good sign that we’ve got a very engaged print subscriber who also wants to be engaged with our products digitally.”

Register for the Financial Times for free to read more about what industry experts were saying at the conference.

Among voters who plan to use mobile devices for campaign and election news, 58 percent plan to turn to newspaper sources. That number rises to 62 percent among the 18-to-34 demographic.

“Cutting across party affiliations and age groups, it’s clear that newspapers and their digital platforms provide a superior medium for advertising that supports election campaigns and drives awareness of the issues,” said Caroline Little, NAA president and CEO.

Advertising revenue also reflects an uptick in newspapers’ political presence. Political media consultant Tom Edmonds notes that in the 2002 elections, the newspaper industry collected $35 million for political advertising. By 2010, the newspaper industry had skyrocketed to $300 million in political ad sales.  With 2012 being a highly competitive election year, it will be interesting to see how much newspaper ad revenue is brought in by the primaries and the presidential election.

HTML5 holds great potential for newspaper publishers and advertisers. It significantly reduces the need to develop apps for each mobile platform (iOS, Android, Windows, Blackberry) and allows for quick and easy content updates. With HTML5, newspapers will have cross-platform reach for all of their mobile applications.  It also gives publishers much greater control over distribution and monetization as they can bypass the major apps stores.  It is likely that publishers may be willing to sacrifice the reach and convenience of app stores if it means keeping 100% of the subscription revenue and not having to get approval each time an app is updated. Additionally, it offers an ease of use for advertisers with standard ad units and specs across all platforms.

Last year the Financial Times made headlines when it released its HTML5 mobile web application and moved away from Apple’s App Store. It turns out that may have just been the start of the revolution.

According to a new report by Scanbuy, mobile barcode scanning tripled in 2011.  Scanning activity steadily built over the course of the year culminating in a record Q4 2011, which produced more scans than 2009 and 2010 combined.  This is great for the Newspaper industry. Newspapers (along with magazines) rank as the most popular media placement for QR Codes and they also top the list as the most popular source of scans from consumers.  QR Codes allow marketers to truly integrate digital and print. Perhaps more importantly, they offer engagement tracking on newspaper ads.

According to a recent survey released by the NAA, 1 in 4 registered users plan to use a mobile device (smart phone or tablet) to check for campaign-related news. For this segment of voters, Newspapers (58%) and National TV (58%) ranked as the most popular news source on mobile- far surpassing, social media sites (41%), local TV (33%), and radio (20%).

Not surprisingly, the numbers are even more pronounced when we look at younger demographics. 48% of 18-34 year old voters intend to use their mobile device for election and campaign news.

These usage patterns point to a tremendous opportunity for campaigns to connect with the elusive 18-34 demographic thru highly contextual political ads on mobile devices. Many political pundits believe that young voters could tip the balance in the 2012 Presidential Election.  If that is true than mobile advertising on newspapers should be an integral part of every candidate’s platform.

Read the NAA report here.

New, online platforms are targeting customers in such accurate ways that print is left wondering if they are simply throwing a bunch of content out and hoping that it’ll reach the right set of eyes.  In reality, news starts largely in print and then people access it largely on the web, so although news is everywhere, newspapers still are the gatekeepers of information that subsequently leaks out into the virtual world.  The message is clear from consumers: they want news to be convenient AND trustworthy so newspapers must adapt. And they are, with some simple guidelines:

1)      New digital platforms demand that  journalists use each platform to its utmost advantage. Links addcredibility. Allow social interaction through blog posts, comments and the like to help people feel connected to the news and improve the ranking of the content through SEO best practices.

2)      Newspapers must keep the oath to be a) a messenger the community can trust and b) a messenger known for its accuracy, integrity, and know how.

3)      Place online fact-checking boxes on every story to make information accessible and connected to the audience.   This adds transparency that bonds the content to the community.

Overall, the values of newspapers haven’t changed. Only the way that they reach their readers has. When you think of the possibilities for people to reach BACK to the newspapers, it’s really a new and improved model for the medium.

Read more from JXPaxon’s blog on the topic.

Papers are hosting their own local events that are promoted within the paper. In many markets, the these annual events include travel shows, book fairs, food festivals and roundtables for the latest film releases.  Strategies like these keep newspapers top of mind and strengthen their connection to their community.

Read more strategies here.

For more information, please go to: http://www.naa.org/News-and-Media/Press-Center/Archives/2012/Growth-Trend-Continues-For-Newspaper-Websites.aspx