Six issue readership of the Georgia Straight soars to 675,100

VANCOUVER, April 16, 2007 — According to a newspaper readership study conducted on behalf of the Georgia Straight, over 675,000 Greater Vancouver residents read the Georgia Straight over a six-week period. Ipsos Reid conducted online interviews with 1,156 Greater Vancouver residents in September, 2006. These results are considered accurate within +2.9%, 19 times out of 20.

In its core market of the City of Vancouver, 61 percent of all adults 18+ reported reading a copy of the Georgia Straight within the past six issues. By comparison, 48% of respondents indicated reading the Vancouver Sun within the past six issues (past week). The Province followed with 41% reading a copy within the past six issues (past week). The free daily, 24 Hours, had a weekly (past six issue) readership of 38%, followed by Metro at 25%. Roughly 670 interviews were conducted with City of Vancouver residents, which results in a margin of error of +3.8%, 19 times out of 20.

City of Vancouver:

Georgia StraightVancouver SunProvince
Past 6 issue reach, ages 12+
306,700 (59%)
239,100 (46%)
213,100 (41%)
Past 6 issue reach, ages 18+
296,500 (61%)
233,300 (48%)
199,300 (41%)
24 hoursMetro
Past week reach, ages 12+
197,500 (38%)
130,000 (25%)
Past week reach, ages 18+
184,700 (38%)
121,500 (25%)

The Ipsos study also showed that readership of the Georgia Straight over the past six issues is highest in the combined areas of the City of Vancouver and the inner suburbs.

City of Vancouver, North Shore Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond:

Georgia StraightVancouver SunProvince
Past 6 issue reach, ages 12+
490,600 (46%)
438,200 (41%)
471,400 (44%)
24 hoursMetro
Past week reach, ages 12+
330,800 (31%)
224,200 (21%)

“I always suspected that we would come out on top,” said Georgia Straight publisher Dan McLeod, “but this is the first time I have seen a study that compares six issues of the Georgia Straight with six issues of the Vancouver Sun and Province.”

Previous Ipsos Reid studies compared one month (four issues) of the Georgia Straight to six issues of the dailies, but this is the first time a study has set out to compare six issues of the weekly with an equal number of daily editions. A total of 1,154 residents in the Vancouver Census Metropolitan Area participated in the study. In the area as a whole, results showed that the Georgia Straight has a 12+ cumulative readership of 675,100.

Vancouver Census Metropolitan Area:

Georgia Straight24 HoursMetro
Past week reach, ages 12+
675,100 (37%)
492,700 (27%)
310,200 (17%)
Past week reach, ages 18+
653,500 (40%)
457,500 (28%)
294,100 (18%)

As in previous Ipsos Reid studies, the Georgia Straight remained the most frequently used newspaper source for entertainment planning by young Vancouverites aged 18 to 34 years (35%), followed by 14% for community newspapers, 12% for the Province, 11% for 24 Hours, 10% for the Vancouver Sun, and 4% for Metro.


The Georgia Straight was also the most frequently used amongst young Vancouver Internet users. A total of 22% Vancouver web users aged 18 to 34 years reported using the straight.com website for entertainment and leisure planning, followed by the Vancouver Sun at 9% and the Province at 6%. The free dailies 24 hours and Metro tied with 3% each.

When comparing same day readership among the Vancouver dailies, 35% of Vancouver residents aged 18+ reported reading the Thursday edition of the Georgia Straight in the past seven days. This compares to 27% for the Thursday edition of the Vancouver Sun, 24% for the Thursday edition of 24 Hours and 20% for the Thursday edition of The Province. Approximately one-in-ten Vancouver residents reported reading the Thursday edition of Metro(12%) and the Friday edition of the Globe and Mail (10%).

City of Vancouver:

Thurs StraightThurs SunThurs Province
Read same day issue in past wk
170,100 (35%)
131,200 (27%)
97,200 (20%)
Thurs 24 hoursThurs MetroFri Globe
Read same day issue in past wk
116,600 (24%)58,300 (12%)
48,600 (10%)

For more information, go to www.straight.com/straightfacts or contact Tony Barnes, Director of Marketing, at 604-730-7030 or t_barnes@straight.com.

Comments