NDM News Network Achieves Strong Growth in 2008/09

Nielsen Data Confirms News Digital Media as #1 for News and Weather

NDM News Network Achieves Strong Growth in 2008/09

June 2009 figures from Nielsen Online show that News Digital Media’s News Network, which includes news.com.au, News Limited’s Masthead sites and the community newspaper network whereilive.com.au, is the leading Australian News & Weather Network, attracting 1.3 million more unique browsers (UBs) than its nearest competitor.

News Digital Media’s news sites recorded strong growth over the year, as increasing numbers of Australians turned to the network for its comprehensive and timely coverage of major international, national and local news.

For the year to June 2009, the network grew by 39 per cent, five per cent more than either the Fairfax Digital Network or ninemsn.

During the same period News Digital Media’s metropolitan news sites grew by an average of 44 per cent.

Other highlights for the year to June 2009 included:

• National news site, news.com.au exceeded four million monthly UBs for the first time in June 2009. The site closed the gap on its nearest competitor, smh.com.au, from just under one million in June 2008 to 310,357.
• UBs to theaustralian.com.au increased by 58 per cent.
• PerthNow, the leading news website in WA, achieved 44 per cent growth in UBs and now attracts an audience 44 per cent larger than its nearest competitor.
• AdelaideNow’s UBs grew by 55 per cent.
• UBs to Victoria’s heraldsun.com.au grew by 43 per cent growth while its nearest comparison theage.com.au grew by 13 per cent.
• Brisbane’s couriermail.com.au recorded a growth of its UBs of 41 per cent, while its competitor, brisbanetimes.com.au, grew by 32 per cent. The couriermail.com.au now has an audience size 1.5 times greater than that of brisbanetimes.com.au.
• Sydney’s dailytelegraph.com.au saw an increase in UBs of 31 per cent. By comparison smh.com.au grew by 10 per cent.
• Signings to SuperCoach, the network’s fantasy NRL and ARL game increased by 31 per cent Since formal measurement began in January 2009,
• UBs to whereilive.com.au have shown major increases, rising 74 per cent in NSW, 43 per cent in VIC, 32 per cent in SA and 21 per cent in QLD.
• Since implementing a new video content management system in November 2008, video streams on the News Digital Media network have increased by 60 per cent, with around 65 per cent all video watched produced in-house.

The chief executive of News Digital Media‘s Media division, Michael Robinson, said the results reflected the quality, breadth and depth of News Digital Media’s editorial content.

 “At a time when people are debating the future of journalism, once thing is clear – people want the news, and when big stories break, they turn to trusted sources.

 “Reports on the major news events of the past year such as the Victorian BushFires, Barrack Obama’s election, Michael Jackson’s death and extreme weather conditions in Queensland and South Australia drew huge numbers of people to our network and, I’m proud to say, many of them have stayed on as loyal readers.

“It is particularly gratifying to see how News Digital Media’s continued commitment to, and investment in, quality journalism is paying off. Our audience numbers are growing at a faster rate then our competitors, and the network is by far Australia’s biggest and best.”