Local TV Gain Web Audience – Newspapers Still Dominate.

Of the 474 TV web sites surveyed by The Media Audit in 2001, 273 attracted less than four percent of the adults in their immediate market. Only four stations attracted more than 20 percent and just 55 drew more than 10 percent.

“It’s a very uneven picture,” says Bob Jordan, co-chairman of International Demographics, Inc., a 31-year-old research firm, which produces The Media Audit. “A few dozen local television web sites are expanding their audience and demonstrating that local TV can succeed on the web. A few are making a formidable challenge to the newspapers in their markets, but the others seem to be uncommitted.”

“Since it’s inception in 1998,” says Jordan, “the online survey data shows the web sites of daily newspapers dominating the local web media market. In 2001 the newspapers made significant gains while TV stations — collectively — showed little progress.”

The Media Audit, a syndicated media ratings service currently: covers 85 metro markets, provides both quantitative and qualitative data on media web sites as well as on traditional media. The surveys measure only the response of adults in the metro market that the media outlet serves.

Most Successful Sites

The two most successful TV web sites, in the 85 metro markets surveyed, are MySanAntonio.com and NewsOk.com. The latter is in Oklahoma City. Both sites represent a local television affiliate and a local newspaper, each with a different owner.

In San Antonio the Hearst newspaper, San Antonio Express News, has teamed up with the Belo television station, KENS. The site attracts 27.0 percent of the adults in the market.

NewsOk.com is a partnership of The Oklahoman, owned by The Oklahoma Publishing Co. and the CBS affiliate KWTV, owned by Griffin Television. The site attracts 24.0 percent of the adults in the market.

“San Antonio and Oklahoma City,” says Jordan, “are clear examples of convergence. And, obviously convergence works. Both combinations bring together the superior promotional ability of television with the overwhelming news gathering strength of newspapers. However, I think we still need to see this business model as a test. The question that still hasn’t been answered is: Does this work financially for both partners?”

The third most successful local television web site is Channel3000.com in Madison. It attracts 22.2 percent of adults in the market. It is the site of WISC-TV. The local daily newspaper, Wisconsin State Journal, operates its own very successful web site, WisconsinStateJournal.com, which attracts 22.0 percent of the adults in the market.

Fourth is WRAL-TV in Raleigh. Its site, WRAL.com attracts 20.0 percent of the adults in its market. Capitol Broadcasting Co owns the station.

Newspapers Vs Television

In just three markets a TV station leads or is tied with the local daily newspaper.

In Cedar Rapids the battle for audience is tight. KCRG-TV’s web site, KCRG.com, attracts 16.4 percent of adults, while the local daily newspaper, Cedar Rapids Gazette, attracts 15.9 percent to its web site, GazetteOnline.com.

In Madison, as already mentioned, WISC-TV’s web site, Channel3000 attracts 22.2 percent while the Wisconsin State Journal attracts 20.0 percent to its site, WisconsinStateJournal.com.

In Greensboro WXII-TV (ThePiedmontChannel.com) attracts 8.6 percent of adults while its newspaper rival, The News Record (NewsRecord.com) attracts 8.5 percent.

“In addition,” says Jordan, “there are another 10 markets in which the leading TV web site is within 3 percentage points of the local daily newspaper site. It’s evidence, again, that local TV stations can succeed.

“Those who feel that only one television station in each market can succeed on the web need to look at the numbers in San Antonio and Oklahoma City.”

In spite of the seemingly dominant position (27.0 percent) of the combination of the San Antonio Express-News and KENS-TV, a second local station, KSAT-TV has attracted 16.2 percent of the adults in the market to its web site.

In Oklahoma City, KOCO-TV has attracted 13.4 percent of the adults to its site, in spite having to compete with the combination of The Oklahoman and KWTV (24.0).

Fifty Leading Television Sites

The local television web sites ranked five through 50 are: Des Moines, KCCI, 18.2; Minneapolis/St. Paul, WCCO, 16.8; Cedar Rapids, KCRG, 16.4; Jackson, WAPT, 16.2; San Antonio, KSAT, 16.2; Sacramento, KCRA, 15.6; Detroit, WDIV, 14.0; Denver, KUSA, 13.8; Minneapolis/St. Paul, KARE, 13.8; Seattle/Tacoma, KING, 13.7; Kansas City, KMBC, 13.4; Oklahoma City, KOCO, 13.4; Albuquerque, KOAT, 13.3; Madison, WKOW, 13.3; Houston, KPRC, 12.9; Little Rock, KATV, 12.8; Jackson, WLBT, 12.3; Madison, WMTV, 12.2; Boise, KTVB, 12.1; Baltimore, WBAL, 11.9; Oklahoma City, KFOR, 11.8; New Orleans, WWLTV, 11.7; Indianapolis, WRTV, 11.6; Little Rock, KTHV, 11.6; Columbia (SC) WISTV, 11.5, and Tulsa, KOTV, 11.5; Austin, KVUE, 11.2; Jackson, WJTV, 11.2; Cedar Rapids, KGAN, 11.1; Hartford, WVIT, 11.1; Indianapolis, WTHR, 11.1; Richmond, WWBT, 11.1; Seattle/Tacoma, KOMO, 11.1; Toledo, WTOL, 10.9; New Orleans, WDSU, 10.7; Pittsburgh, WTAE, 10.7; Tulsa, KJRH, 10.7; Orlando, WKMG, 10.5; Portland, KOIN, 10.5; Tulsa, KTUL, 10.5; Boston, WCVB, 10.4; New Haven, WTNH, 10.4; Wichita, KSNW, 10.4; Austin, KXAN, 10.3; Hartford, WFSB, 10.3; Des Moines, WHO, 10.2; Albany, WNYT, 10.0; Columbus, WBNS, 10.0; Orlando, WESH, 10.0; Portland, KGW, 10.0; Wichita, KAKE, 10.0.

For more information at http://www.themediaaudit.com