ViewPoint
March 2009

Lonestar Outdoor News
Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC

Lonestar Outdoor News is a premier outdoor publication dedicated to providing the most current fishing, hunting and conservation information in Texas. Established in 2004, the newspaper continues to grow through its subscriptions, Internet presences and circulation at local outdoors stores and some of the largest outdoors retailers in Texas.

Baltimore SmartCEO
Washington SmartCEO
EMI Media, Inc.

SmartCEO is a regional "growing company" publication. SmartCEO publications are not news; they are resources full of smart ideas to help educate, motivate and inspire decision-makers. SmartCEO is read by more than 32,000 business owners in the Baltimore and Washington, DC metro markets.

5 Consumer Trends for 2009

by Jennifer Armor

Despite the bleak economic climate, we are still a nation of consumers. Understanding the consumer trends for 2009 will help you reach these people where they may be hiding. Find out what they are thinking below:

Take control
People want to stay in control of their choices where they can. Consumers will seek out products and services that give them exactly what they want when they want it, especially as their budgets tighten. The Internet will play a key roll because it shows every option available and gives people the power to demand more while also allowing them to influence others.

Simplify and purify
Faced with fast-paced modern life, many people will seek convenience and simplicity. They will demand that companies communicate with them openly and honestly and want complete transparency. Fresh, clean, and pure will become essential values. Old-fashioned activities such as sewing, baking, and gardening will become increasingly popular.

Trust
Faced with financial insecurity, shoppers will seek out businesses and products they feel they can trust. People will demand value for their money, as well as high levels of quality, safety, and service. People will cling to the long-standing, nostalgic brands they know, looking for products with a real sense of familiarity. The road to rebuilding trust will be long and hard, especially for the financial sector.

Cut back...sometimes
While people are consciously buying cheaper store brands, dining out less, and looking for every possible way to pinch their pennies, they are still willing to spend for that "special little something" like fine chocolates or a designer purse. "Frugal chic" has become a new concept many are embracing. People are finding new ways to get top quality items for less.

Lighten up
People can't be serious all the time. They still want to enjoy themselves, despite the tough economic times. Small distractions and fun products will help lift moods and soothe spirits. People will learn to take pleasure in the simple things in life.

Quantcast Measures Publishers' Website Traffic for Free

by Jennifer Armor

As an increasing number of advertising dollars move online, publishers need to know how to monetize their online properties. Like circulation audits are to print publishing, online audience measurement is key to providing the actionable metrics media buyers need to make informed purchasing decisions.

In September 2006, San Francisco-based Quantcast launched the first open Internet rating service. Labeled the Quantified Publisher's program, it enables publishers to participate in audience ratings processes by tagging their site and services for direct measurement. The free program gives accurate, third-party metrics that helps advertisers gauge the value of a publisher's audience. Currently, they have rated more than 20 million websites.

To become "Quantified," publishers have to first create a free Quantcast account. Publishers copy a personalized Quantcast javascript tag from Quantcast's website onto their website pages or the digital media they wish to measure, similar to what you would do with the code from Google Analytics. Next, they configure their Quantcast profile with the site description and metrics they want to provide media buyers and advertisers.

The resulting easy-to-read report is then available online at Quantcast's website in real time and shows a publisher's audience reach and composition. The report includes an overall summary, website traffic breakdown, geographic analysis, demographics (sex, age, ethnicity, etc.), business, and lifestyle.

In the past, panel-based audience measurement was the basis for evaluating media properties. Quantcast's methodology combines directly measured traffic statistics with multiple panel data sources to generate audience profiles. A massive amount of data is collected through affiliations with partners who include advertisers, publishers, ISPs and advertising networks.

Quantcast was founded by a team of engineers and mathematicians committed to addressing the digital media market's need for transparent and actionable data. Through its services, Quantcast provides advertisers and publishers unmatched abilities to measure, organize, and transact based on directly measured audience data.

The company's Quantified Publisher program is available to web properties of any size and provides free measurement for websites, blogs, videos, games, and widgets. Companies using the service include CBS, Hachette-Filipacchi, FOX Entertainment, Digg, BizJournals, Bloomberg, HuffingtonPost, National Geographic, and NYMag.com.

Learn more about Quantcast and the Quantified Publisher program.

Results of Customer Satisfaction Survey

Recently Verified conducted a customer satisfaction survey. We asked you to tell us how we're doing and express your opinions to help us improve our performance and serve you better.

Below are the results of the survey:

Toss-up on Future Print, But Relevant Today

A new survey of American readers by The Rosen Group about the state of current and future media found that nearly 80% of respondents still subscribe to magazines and 83% find that daily newspapers are still relevant. 45% of those surveyed said that newspapers and magazines will exist in 10 years, while 40% were uncertain.

Lori Rosen, founder and president of The Rosen Group, points out that these findings suggest that, though there is a strong shift to online news consumption and a preference for online sources for breaking news, Americans still find print publications to be important sources, especially for entertainment.

Rosen concludes that "...people are not abandoning their print editions...there is still a certain satisfaction and ease to holding printed text in your hands, and PDAs or PCs will not replace this just yet."

Other survey findings:

• 29% of respondents say a news website is the most indispensable news source, while 18% select print newspapers and 16% cite online newspapers.
• 55% say they look at a printed newspaper each day, 53% subscribe to a print newspaper, and 83% say newspapers are still relevant.
• 30% say news websites are their top source for updates, and 66% say that websites are among their daily news sources.
• 65% of respondents find weekly news magazines relevant.
• 29% of respondents read blogs multiple times a day, 8% read them once a week, 37% read them occasionally and 37% never read them.
• 60% of respondents believe the information on blogs is not credible.

Though the majority of Americans go online to learn about daily breaking news, print magazines remain one of the top sources for entertainment, advice and lifestyle information.

The survey found that despite a growing preference for online news sites, print magazines are a leading entertainment source. Nearly 80% of respondents say they subscribe to magazines vs. 53% for newspapers.

For additional information, contact the Rosen Group.

© 2009 MediaPost Communications

Events Calendar

American Business Media Spring Meeting
May 3, 2009
America Island, FL
www.americanbusinessmedia.com

20th Annual International Media Conference and Tradeshow
May 6 – 7, 2009
New Orleans, LA
www.editorandpublisher.com

IABC 2009 Business Writing Conference
May 7 – 8, 2009
Seattle, WA
www.iabc.com

2009 NAA Foundation Young Readers Conference
May 14 – 16, 2009
Arlington, VA
www.naa.org

INMA World Congress
May 13 – 15, 2009
Miami, FL
www.inma.org

MPA-IMAG Independent Magazine Conference
May 17 – 19, 2009
Boulder, CO
www.magazine.org

Ink + Beyond
Canadian Community Newspaper Association and the Canada
Newspaper Association Combined Annual Convention
Montreal, Quebec
May 20 – 22, 2009
www.inkandbeyond.ca

CRMA Annual Conference 2009
May 30 – June 1, 2009
New Orleans, LA
www.citymag.org

If you have an event that you would like to announce, please send your information
to e-newsletter@verifiedaudit.com.  

MPA: Mag Sites Boost Traffic 11%

Magazine websites attracted an average 75 million unique visitors per month in the last three months of 2008, compared to a monthly average of 67.5 million during the same period of 2007—an increase of 11%, according to the Magazine Publishers of America, citing its analysis of Nielsen Online data for 476 magazines online.

The growth rate for magazines' web audience far exceeds the 3.2% growth rate for the Internet overall. Seventy-five million unique visitors in the fourth quarter of 2008 equals 45.1% of the total Internet-using population of the United States, compared to 41.8% during the same period in 2007.

What's more, the duration of visits is also increasing.

Visitors spent an average 2.4 billion minutes per month perusing magazine websites, an increase of 34.4% over 1.78 billion minutes in 2007. Doing the math, the average time spent per visitor rose from about 26.4 minutes per month in the fourth quarter of 2007 to 32 minutes per month in the fourth quarter of 2008. The MPA didn't release any figures for page views.

However, the good news on unique visitors and time spent highlights a major problem faced by magazine publishers: While their online audience is booming, online advertising revenues still trail far behind. Like newspaper publishers, magazines have struggled to monetize their online readership, and online advertising, in most cases, is still a small fraction of their overall business.

At Time Inc., online revenues were just 10% of total advertising revenues of $2.45 billion in 2008. At Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, they were about 12% of about $90 million in total ad revenue. At Meredith Corp., online contributed about 6% of total revenues for the company's fiscal year 2008.

These figures are critical because—again, like newspaper publishers—most big magazine publishers are not coming close to making up losses in print ad revenue on the online side. At Time Inc., for example, total revenues declined $347 million from 2007–2008, dwarfing total online revenues of $245 million.

© 2009 MediaPost Communications

Who Else Sees Your Audit Report?

You've completed your audit and you have your new audit report in hand. You're ready to share the results with your advertisers, but who else can see the results? How does your Verified audit report work for you?

All audit reports that are issued by Verified are sent to SRDS Media Solutions, a leading provider of rates and data that connects media buyers and sellers. They provide comprehensive coverage that meets their customers' planning and buying needs. Ninety-five percent of all advertising agencies rely on information from SRDS. Circulation figures provided by your audit report are included in your SRDS listing for media buyers to evaluate.

In addition to SRDS, audit information is available to Verified's Associate Members. Associate Membership is available to media buyers, advertisers, and advertising agencies. Some of Verified's Associate Members include major advertisers, including Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, JC Penny, Kohl's, Target Corporation, and Walgreen's. We also provide circulation information to USA Weekend, CARD (Canadian Rate and Data), Newspaper Services of America (NSA), AWN, AAN, Casanova Pendrill, Parenting Publication of America, King Group, and CBJN on a regular basis.

If you know an advertiser or agency that you would like to become an Associate Member, direct them to Verified's website. Click on Visitors and have them fill out the Associate Membership form. It is quick, easy, and free to become a Verified Associate Member.

Verified is happy to send Audit Reports directly to an advertiser or agency upon request. Simply supply us with a copy of the report, the advertiser or agency name and address, and we will send your Audit Report directly from our office along with a cover letter.

If you have questions, please contact Verified at 415-461-6006.

Please send comments and story ideas to e-newsletter@verifiedaudit.com or contact us at:

Verified Audit Circulation
900 Larkspur Landing Circle, Suite 295
Larkspur, CA 94939-1758
415.461.6006
415.461.6007 fax