Abstract:

The national media researches base on readers much more than buyers of the copies: the issue is that there is a lack of market research data able to support marketing decisions regarding circulation level development and control. Readership surveys are not satisfying for the editorial marketing as to the comparison between audience and circulation. Publishers have to know who are the buyers of the titles, how many they are, how they split between heavy, medium and light buyers and how many buy competitive titles. All these issues are figured out in a consumer panel carried out in Italy. The paper describes the research methodology pointing out the main results about news weeklies. The analysis aims to support basic marketing decisions providing the target definition of a title, the main competitors, its potential market (circulation). Moreover, the essay concludes with some applications of the results to the advertising market.