Value or Vanity in Selecting Media

When running campaigns, sometimes clients insist in seeing their issue reported in a particular magazine or newspaper. This type of "top down" direction is great because it can really focus your media efforts.

But the big "but" is does that publication reach the target audience? Or is not merely reflecting the CEO's personal preferences. In other words landing a story in a particualr publication might be more about vanity than real value.

If your goal is to simply reach the largest number of Australians, the recent Roy Morgan Readership Survey for the year ending March 2008, is a good guide to where to direct your media relations efforts.

Right now the top three newspapers by circulation in Australia are:

• The Sunday Telegraph (NSW)
• The Sunday Herald Sun (VIC)
• The Sunday Mail (QLD)

And the top three magazines by readership are:

• Australian Women's Weekly
• Woman's day
• New Idea

Whether your media efforts are dictated by volume or vanity, don't forget that media coverage is valuable only if it helps you reach the people you need to talk to.

Roy Morgan figures as reported in the 30 May 2008 edition of AdNews