By Bruce Peninsula Press staff
The results from the Bruce Peninsula Press Readership survey are in. The survey was open from May 14 to June 30, 2024.
The Bruce Peninsula Press has an average circulation of 3,600 newspapers per issue. Approximately 2,800 of those are mailed free to residents of the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula (MNBP), 350 are paid postal subscriptions, and 450 are sold in local stores. There were 90 surveys completed; a 2.5% response rate. The survey results are illustrated below.
Highlights from the survey results:
• 65.6% of respondents were age 60+, 31.3% age 40-59, 3.1% age 20-30. No results were received from ages 19 & under. 64.4% of respondents were female. 60% were full-time residents of MNBP, 25.6% were part-time residents/seasonal residents/cottagers, and 14.4% do not currently live or own a cottage in MNBP.
• 98.9% of respondents are regular readers. 72.5% read the paper cover to cover, while 25.3% browse things of interest.
• 87.8% of respondents felt having the Municipal council mnutes in the newspaper made the municipality more transparent. 28.9% read the council minutes carefully, 43.3% browse the interesting parts, 23.3% scan them quickly, and 4.4% never read them.
• When asked where else they access local news, 41.7% of respondents replied Social Media, 26.8% Radio, 22.8% Other newspapers, and 8.7% replied other. (Other responses included: online news sources, word of mouth, and local TV stations).
• 73.3% of respondents had visited our website www.brucepeninsulapress.com. 75.6% preferred to read our newspaper in print, 5.6% preferred online, 16.7% replied both, 5.6% N/A.
Survey respondents were asked to rate regular features from 1 (not important) to 5 (very important). Six features were rated as 4 or 5 by at least 60 of the respondents — the Calendar of Events, Publisher’s Column, OPP News, Letters to the Editor, community group reports and Reporter’s Notebook.
Repondents were also asked what they would like to see more of. The clear priority here was “Community events and festivals”. Other clear priorities were local history, human interest, local politics and the National Parks.
A variety of other comments were received, including:
• Need less SOK (Sources of Knowledge).
• This newspaper is fantastic.
• Now that the Wiarton Echo is no longer a real newspaper you should expand to cover the whole peninsula.
• I hate the weather column being named “Climate” Comment, when truly it is a WEATHER Report. Also could we have some more actual local news, stuff happens like accidents and fires and we hear not a peep about them!
• Your newspaper provides an essential service by providing information to Bruce Peninsula residents. STOP calling this the Saugeen Peninsula – for your info it is the “Bruce” and should remain so!
• We aren’t interested in local politics, but we are interested in the ongoings of the local government and the community. Report on actions, events, and services from government. Report on opportunities to give public input on local government.
• Great paper. Lucky to have it. Well designed and good contributions. Thank you.
• I am 99 years old, 100 in July, and reside at Golden Dawn. I rely on staff and volunteers to read the press to me, as my vision is very compromised. I still am very much interested in knowing the local issues, and the local news.
• On the whole you are doing a great job. Thank you.
• I would like to see more relationship shown between Bruce Peninsula National Park and the municipality. Antagonistic relationship is outdated. Let’s see a partnership. Education, environment, species, tourism numbers, etc. The park is a HUGE part of this community. They should be more transparent with tourism and eco-environment efforts (in concert with township).
• The Peninsula Press is the best paper out of them all!!
SURVEY RESULTS:
Are you a regular reader of the Bruce Peninsula Press?
Yes 98.9%
Does having the municipal council minutes in the Bruce Peninsula Press make the municipality more transparent?
Yes 87.8%
Have you visited our website, brucepeninsulapress.com?
Yes 73.7%
“Other” regular features that were marked as very important included: Real Estate ads, In the Garden column, New Businesses, Events Calendar, Weather and gardeners articles, History of the Bruce, Current events and world news, Local news stories that showcase the community and make you feel good.
“Other” results that respondees wanted to see more of marked as very important included: Shouldn’t miss events, rainy day suggestions, Provincial news as it relates locally, restaurant reviews, horoscopes, and comics.
