1. THE TIMES on Saturday and market research George Brock Professor and Head of Journalism City University London Media Research conference, Cairo, April 2010

2. Once upon a time… 1960s: 2sections, 74 pages Early 1980s: 1 section, 28 pages

3. …and in 2006 2006: 7 sections, 378 pages 2 2006: 12 sections, 470 pages ns

4. THE TIMES on Saturday 2007

5. Late 1980s Saturday: lowest circulation of the week Print advertising market growing 1987: Daily Telegraph expands Saturday edition The Times, Guardian and Financial Times follow over next few years Target: 15-20 circulation “premium” on Saturdays

6. Choices How long should the articles be? News vs features balance How large a package? How many pages? Balancing advertisment-led and reader-led

7. UK newspaper market “national” newspaper competition High readership per head c 70% of income from advertising High single copy sale 1990 onwards: colour advertising grows Sunday papers = magazines

8. What difference does research make? Reader research has limits Self-knowledge has limits Newspaper relationship/feelings complex Ad research data probably more important Certifiable, verifiable accuracy crucial Consumer spending patterns most important of all

9. Key takeaway The best research is that which is most completely integrated across all parts of the business

10. What did we find? More reading time Unexpected: Saturday and Sunday not the same Less internet face time Opportunity to be distinctive Online spinoffs

11. Newspaper readers are active health seekers BMRB Healthcare Sept 2009: women aged 20-64. Total sample 2371

12. What did we find? More reading time Unexpected: Saturday and Sunday not the same Less internet face time Opportunity to be distinctive Online spinoffs

14. To recognise and exploit a new opportunity, you need… An assumption, a hypothesis, a hunch Commercial basis Content Research to check and define If possible, a “killer app”.

15. What kind of research? Anthropological Open to all (e.g. at design stage) Trends more important than number detail

16. Thegrowthofconsumerleisure % of waking hours spent neither at home nor at work excluding travel time, by activity

17. Issues Weekend vs weekday Friday vs Saturday vs Sunday Online + print No weekend free papers (yet) Different design, writing, production talent required (i.e. there are costs) Magazinification

18. Newsines

19. Times/STadrevenuegrowth

20. One last statistic In 2004, the Saturday edition of The Times took 40% of the paper’s weekly display advertising income.

21. www.city.ac.uk/journalism/ www.georgebrock.net