The following is part of a Newspaper Association of America press release issued this morning. The full release will be at www.naa.org/presscenter later today.
Newspaper-owned Web sites maintained a three-to-one lead over other local competitors in advertising market share last year, capturing 26.9 percent of the market, according to data from Borrell Associates’ fifth annual local online revenue survey. The study examined more than 3,000 local web operations.
“This survey provides further proof that local advertisers recognize newspaper Web sites as an indispensable way to reach their best customers,” said NAA President and CEO John F. Sturm. “The trusted name brand, quality content and desirable audience delivered by the medium’s digital properties are critical to advertisers in today’s crowded media landscape.”
According to the survey, newspaper-owned Web sites earned more than $2 billion in local online advertising revenue in 2007, a figure that surpasses all local online media companies combined and represents a 27 percent share of the total local online ad market. Local Yellow Pages and television Web sites were next with 9.5 percent of the market each, while radio stations captured 2.1 percent.
The survey indicates that video, the fastest growing segment of local online advertising, generated $363 million in 2007, with local online advertisers expected to spend $1.2 billion in 2008 (nearly a four-fold increase). Newspaper-owned Web sites have seized a foothold in this area as well, with a 26 percent share of all local online video advertising – more than any other local competitor.