NRS to analyse web users and print link

by Media Week, Media Week 18-Sep-07

The National Readership Survey is testing a survey that, for the first time, will analyse the reader relationship between a website and its parent newspaper.

NRS managing director Roger Pratt revealed that more than 70 sites are
being monitored in the experiment and, if it proves successful, the
first results could be avail-able as early as January.

Like the NRS, the data collected will give publishers an insight into

the age and demographic of their readership, as well as the frequency in
which the same number of people surfing the net buy their paper.

Pratt said: "We honestly don't know if this approach is going to work,
simply because of the ease in which you can switch from one site to
another. We want the result to be credible, so we have only used the
largest sites."

The survey will ask which sites the reader visits and how frequently. It
could in future be extended if successful.

Pratt added: "Audience numbers for the web can be quite volatile due to
fashions and content, but if we can get credible results, they will be
extremely useful for the industry.

"If all goes well, we will hopefully be able to use these figures to see
what percentage of people buying a paper also use the website, in
addition to their age and earning power."