Readers on the rise

The first readership survey conducted for The B.C. Catholic in seven years shows satisfaction levels have increased, readers are spending more time with the paper, and the number of people reading it has risen.

In the 2000 study, just under three-quarters of subscribers reported they faithfully read all four issues of The B.C. Catholic published in an average month. In the most recent study, the number is now at 75 per cent. Editor Paul Schratz said, "That's good news for advertisers who want to know that readers are actually reading the papers they receive, unlike many free weekly papers that go straight into the recycling bin."

In the category of time spent reading, B.C. Catholic subscribers traditionally spend an impressive amount of time reading each issue. The average reader spent 42 minutes reading an issue in 2000. Now they spend 52 minutes. In comparison, a 2004 U.S. newspaper study showed most readers spend just 17 minutes reading a newspaper.

The B.C. Catholic's readership is also growing through multiplied readership. Each issue is read not only by the subscriber, but also by, on average, one other person. That means on average two people read every issue of The B.C. Catholic, up from 1.8 in the last survey, making the effective readership approximately 40,000 a week.

In addition, subscribers of all demographic groups report they are highly satisfied with the content of The B.C. Catholic. In 2000, 93 per cent of subscribers were satisfied with the newspaper's articles and editorials and 54 per cent were very satisfied. Those numbers are now 94 per cent and 61 per cent, respectively.

Also, for the first time the readership survey included a sub-sample of clergy, asking priests what they thought of the paper. Eighty seven per cent report they are satisfied with The B.C. Catholic, and nearly 40 per cent are very satisfied.