64th World Newspaper Congress and 19th World Editors Forum

1. Audience Insights
John Cruickshank
Publisher, Toronto Star
,
President, Star Media Group
jcruickshank@thestar.ca
September 2012

2. Session Content
• Strategic Outlook
• Audiences – Strength in Numbers
• Audience Insights – Research and Segmentation
• Audience Insights in Action
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3. Torstar Corporation
Torstar Corporation is a broadly based media company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TS.B). Its businesses
include the Star Media Group led by the Toronto Star, Canada's largest daily newspaper, and digital properties including
thestar.com, toronto.com, Wheels.ca, Workopolis, Olive Media, and eyeReturn; Metroland Media Group, publishers of
community and daily newspapers in Ontario; and Harlequin Enterprises, a leading global publisher of women's fiction.
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4. Star Media Group
Digital Dailies Specialty
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5. How we define ourselves
Star Media Group is a growing network of
regional and nationally‐based interrelated
i l d i ll b d i l d
businesses that create compelling content
environments for well‐defined consumer
i f ll d fi d
groups and the marketers who want to
reach them
h h
5

6. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
WHO WE ARE
INVESTMENTS
Invest in people, quality journalism, marketing and digital opportunities
Foster an agile, innovative and results‐driven culture
AUDIENCE INSIGHTS
Through market research and strategic planning, identify opportunities to grow audiences
g g p g, y pp g
across multiple markets and platforms
CUSTOMER SOLUTIONS
Leverage our content and advertising relationships across multiple platforms and partners to
g g p p p p
provide broader solutions to our customers
REVENUE DIVERSIFICATION
Diversify our revenues by growing the influence of other print and digital businesses
y yg g p g
OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS
Align costs with revenue realities to ensure long term success
Improve our speed to market
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7. Our strategy is to stabilize our core business and to grow a portfolio of
products that consists of line extensions and opportunities that appeal
to our target audiences
to our target audiences
SMG Business Position 2012
yourcitybiz
Queen’s Park
Briefing
Core Close to New
N
Core Competencies
Capabilities Spectrum
Assumptions:
• Digital integration across all business activities
g g
• Portfolio focus – multiple smaller wins
• Assumes we are not only content centric
• Toronto Star revenues and profits diminish over time
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8. Session Content
• Strategic Outlook
• Audiences – Strength in Numbers
• Audience Insights – Research and Segmentation
• Audience Insights in Action
8

9. The Toronto Star is the most read weekday
newspaper in Canada.
Average Weekday Readership – Adults 18+
1,250,000
1,223,300
1,000,000 978,600
750,000
642,400
597,900
529,900
529 900
500,000
449,800 436,500 420,600 407,000
364,900
250,000
0
STAR(TO) GLOBE(CA) SUN(TO) LE JOURNAL(MO) METRO(TO) SUN(VA) LA PRESSE(MO) POST(CA) PROVINCE(VA) 24HRS(TO)
Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday
Source: NADbank 2011 Full Report
Base: All Markets & Toronto Extension, Adults 18+ (19,993,700)
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10. In Toronto, the Saturday Star’s print readership is larger than the total print
and online weekly readership of the Globe and Mail (our primary competitor)
Toronto Adults 18+
>
Saturday Star Globe Print + Online
One Day 6 Day Cume
1,181,000 1,116,500
Source: NADbank 2011 Full Report; Toronto CMA, Adults 18+
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11. Saturday Star = Top Toronto TV Shows
Toronto 18+
Toronto 2+
= +
Big Bang Theory Survivor: One World
608,000
608 000 550,000
550 000
Saturday Star
1,181,000
, ,
Star Source: NADbank 2011 Full Report; Toronto CMA, Adults 18+ (4,569,400)
TV Source: BBM Canada , Toronto /Hamilton 2+, Average Minute Audience , Week of April 2-8, 2012
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12. While the Star provides a dominant regional audience,
Metro is expanding audiences across the country
Edmonton
Vancouver
Saskatoon
Victoria Calgary Regina Halifax
Winnipeg Ottawa
Kitchener Toronto
= Metro Print & Digital
g London Hamilton
= Metro Digital Windsor
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13. Metro – Canada’s largest weekday newspaper title
Average Weekday Readership – Adults 18+
1,500,000
1,492,700
1,250,000
1,223,300 1,208,300
1,086,100
1,000,000
978,600
750,000
500,000
250,000
0
METRO STAR SUN 24 HRS GLOBE
Source: NADbank 2011 Full Report
Base: All Markets & Market Extension Adults 18+
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14. The Star and Metro provide large web audiences
Online Online
9.6 million unique visitors/month .9 million unique visitors/month
77 million page views/month 3 million page views/month
Mobile Mobile
Over 23 million page views/month Over 3 million page views/month
Source: Omniture – May 2012
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15. Star + Metro English (Print & Online) audience
bigger than Canada’s 2nd largest city
Canada s
~
Star + Metro English Print & Online Toronto CMA Montreal CMA
Net Weekly Audience 5.8 million 3.9 million
4,975,400
, ,
Audience Source: NADbank 2011 Full Report; Base: All Markets & Toronto Extension, Adults 18+ (19,993,700)
Metro English = 6 Markets: Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, and Halifax 15
Star print is only measured in Ontario; Star online is measured outside Ontario in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, and Montreal
Toronto CMA Total Population Source: FP Markets Canadian Demographics 2011

16. Session Content
• Strategic Outlook
• Audiences – Strength in Numbers
• Audience Insights – Research and Segmentation
• Audience Insights in Action
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17. Audience Insight Sources
PMB
NADbank
Population
Statistics Canada comScore
Omnibus Studies CCAB
Other Panels Customers
Generation5
PMB
/Readers /
Visitors Proprietary Studies
NADbank
Can also tell us about
Proprietary Studies Subscribers
Can also tell us about
Panels
Employees
Star Advisers Panel
Research & Analysis
of Media
(RAM ) Panel
Proprietary Studies
Subscriber Database
Generation5
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18. Audience Segmentation assists in understanding current
customers, potential customers and how best to serve them.
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19. However, Audience Segmentation pitfalls can range from too
simple to far too complex to be actionable.
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20. After considering many different segmentation models, we split
the market into 21 segments based on age, income and presence
of kids in the household.
Young: Age <45, Families: Mature: Age 45+,
No Kids <18 at Home Kids <18 at Home No Kids <18 at Home
Age 18-29,
18 29, Age 30-44,
30 44, Kids <6, HHI$100K+
6, HHI$100K Age 45-64,
45 64, Age 65+,
65 ,
HHI$100K+ HHI$100K+ (274,000) F1 HHI$100K+ HHI$100K+
(234,000) (166,000) (331,000) (63,000)
Kids 6-11, HHI$100K+
(272,000) F2
Y1 Y2 Kids 12-17, HHI$100K+
12 17
M1 M2
(290,000) F3
Age 18-29, Age 30-44, Kids <6, HHI$50-$99K Age 45-64, Age 65+,
HHI$50K-$99K HHI$50K-$99K (289,000) F4 HHI$50K-$99K HHI$50K-$99K
(238,000)
(238 000) (205,000)
(205 000) (352,000)
(352 000) (131,000)
(131 000)
Kids 6-11, HHI$50-99K
(286,000) F5
Y3 Y4 Kids 12-17,HHI$50-99K
M3 M4
(340,000) F6
Age 18-29, Age 30-44, Kids <6, HHI<$50K Age 45-64, Age 65+,
HHI<$50K HHI<$50K (216,000) F7 HHI<$50K HHI<$50K
(158,000) (86,000) (287,000) (423,000)
Kids 6-11, HHI<$50K
(
(200,000)
, ) F8
Y5 Y6 Kids 12-17, HHI<$50K
M5 M6
(169,000) F9
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21. Seven key segments emerged from the ranking analysis – based
on the propensity to consume media and spend money.
Perception Map: 21 Segments
Total Media Usage (8)/All Consumer Spend (32)
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KEY TARGET ZONE
F3
ndex
F2 Y2
M2 M1
r Spending In
F1
Y1
15 Y3 M3
Consumer
F5
F4
F6
Y4
M4
F8
F7
M6 F9
Y6
Y5 M5
10
11.5 14.5 17.5
Media Usage Index
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22. The segmentation is used in strategic development for both filling-
the-target-gaps and drawing from developed targets.
Y1 Y2 F1 F2 F3 M1 M3
Primary Target Secondary Target
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23. Target Audience Summary
Y1 - URBAN HIPSTERS
[ Young educated individuals living in a household with high income ]
ou g du d d du s g ous o d g o
“Drinking is Part of My Lifestyle” “Low Fat Foods are Important
Part of My Regular Diet
Diet”
“I Can’t Imagine My Life
Without the Internet” “I am More of a Spender than a Saver”
“I Love Expensive Sports Cars”
I Cars “I Enjoy Keeping Fit”
I Fit
“I Like to Have a Wide Variety of Snacks” “I Tend to be the First to Own New
Electronic Products”
“I am Very Interested in Unfamiliar
I
Vacation Destinations” “I Really Enjoy Shopping for Clothes”
Uniquely Recognized: Consumption Habits: Highly Engaged:
 Diverse and Cultured  Average Shoppers • News & Social Media sites
 Active and Adventurous  Early Adapters • News, Entertainment and Arts print publications
 Health and Tech Enthusiasts  Heavy Media Consumers • Movies and Situation Comedies programming
• Tuned into the Modern Rock & Top 40 Hits
T di h M d R k T Hi
Source: PMB 2012 Spring 2 Year Study; Base: Toronto CMA, Adults 18+
*Based on Y1 Segment

24. Session Content
• Strategic Outlook
• Audiences – Strength in Numbers
• Audience Insights – Research and Segmentation
• Audience Insights in Action
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25. Audience Insights in Action
Current Subscribers – Maximizing Revenue
Challenge:
- Declining revenue from lower circulation volumes
Audience Insights:
- Variances in customer behaviour by:
- geography
- payment type
- tenure
- demographic
- Strong core of loyal subscribers
- Support quality journalism
Actions:
- New subscription pricing model
-M i i
Maximizes revenue, minimizes attrition
i i i tt iti
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26. Audience Insights in Action
StarWeek – Saturday Opt-in Section
Challenge:
- Declining ad revenues in TV book
Audience Insights:
- Under-serving dedicated readers
- Over-serving non-readers
Actions:
- Improved/enhanced content
- Paid opt-in model
p
“More information is certainly the most important thing for me”
“Just tell me what s on TV”
Just what’s TV
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27. Audience Insights in Action
New York Times – Sunday Opt-In Section
Challenge:
- Declining ad revenues on Sunday
Audience Insights:
- More content needed on Sunday
- Need to improve international news
Actions:
- Launched section
- Paid opt-in model
Congratulations to The Star for giving subscribers the chance to receive it.
Great service at a reasonable price. Much better than the full Times (that I have subscribed to in the past) - as it is a manageable size
The best paper in the country gets better with this addition.
The articles are well written, well researched and represent a good cross section of the full edition
NYT crossword puzzle is great. And the book reviews are as good as any that I ever read.
Enjoy their (NYT Book) review to the point that I usually buy one selection that they discussed and have not been disappointed
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28. Audience Insights in Action
World Weekly – Saturday Subscriber Section
Challenge:
Ch ll
- Satisfaction gap – high interest in
international news but low content rating
Audience Insights:
- Invest in more international news
- More international perspectives
Actions:
- Launched special section
- Home delivered copies only
I LOVE the new "World" section!
The World section is impressive
The new World section is great - something I have wanted for years
still my favourite paper - like the new World section a LOT.
Love the paper & all its efforts to improve! Thanks
Thanks.
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29. Audience Insights in Action
The Grid – Alternative Weekly
Challenge:
- Declining ad revenues
- Readership instability, distant 2nd in marketplace
Audience Insights:
- Low content rating
- Need for competitive differentiation
- Attractive target audience (Adults 25-39)
Actions:
- Launched repositioned publication
- New content strategy
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30. Audience Insights in Action
The Kit – Fashion Content
Challenge:
- Audience not reached by SMG
- Underdeveloped ad category for newspapers
Audience Insights:
- Key target audience (Women 25-49)
- Niche but committed audience
Actions:
- Purchased digital magazine
- Added section to Thursday Star
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31. Audience Insights in Action
Make Investments, But Be Prepared For Challenges
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32. SMG brands - diversified platforms to fuel growth
Target Audiences Platform Products
Printed
Publications
- Paid
Y1
Printed
Publications
Y2
- Free
Printed Opt-
in Products -
F2
Paid
Digital
Consumer
Products -
F3 Free
Digital
g
F1 Consumer
M3 Work in Progress
Products -
Paid
M1
Email &
Database
Marketing
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33. John Cruickshank
Publisher, Toronto Star
President, Star Media Group
jcruickshank@thestar.ca
jcruickshank@thestar ca
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