Dubai: We seem to be pulling in the decision makers. And by that I don’t mean just the government, policymakers, CEOS, COOs, management professionals, and social leaders.
Women are reading us more and more.
How do we know this?
Through our internationally audited print readership survey done by Ipsos Connect, a media research company, over a four-month period from May to August 2016.
The numbers are great. We are number one when it comes to readership across all English publications in the UAE. We are read more, shared more and referenced more.
Women have always made a difference but this year, they seemed to get far more global visibility from the international women’s march in solidarity against the US President Donald J. Trump to female scientists that changed the face of space programmes. And Gulf News’ growing readership among women seems to be reflective of that trend.
There’s other good news. Eighty five per cent of Gulf News readership is from 15 to 44 years old. This is especially interesting, because globally, especially in the Western Hemisphere many are bemoaning the loss of sustained brand loyalty and readership in this age bracket.
This group drives a large part of the economy, through their lifestyle decisions and purchases. So, from an advertiser’s return on investment perspective, Gulf News would be the best bet.
This is aided by some other numbers, too. Such as that over 70 per cent of our readership is university educated with a good family income and employed.
In fact 30 per cent of our readers fall into the middle and upper management category.
We have an equally high reach in the general employee level, with nearly 40 per cent readership from this category. So, Gulf News connects to all strata of society, offering value addition through it unique content and award-winning design.
Readership Profile
The same holds true for Gulf News tabloid!, which leads in all age groups, across cities and social segments, leaving Khaleej Times’ City Times far behind. And this reach applies to both genders, too.
One of the most interesting numbers from tabloid! — it is consumed by 31 per cent of the non-Arab English readership in the UAE. The figures come from the analysis of detailed interviews with a sample unit of 4,000 people, which is representative of the UAE population.
Our magazines, especially Friday holds equal market sway — almost two-thirds of its readers are in the prime age group of 25 to 44 and are university educated.
In a media environment that sees weeklies and monthlies disappear faster than our desert winters, Friday has been the picture of sustainable success. Launched in 1997, it has steadily grown in market presence. It’s been more than 20 years and Friday continues to be at the top.
Newspaper subscriptions are not rising for most newspapers because the digital evolution is allowing people to consume news and media in multiple ways — from the smartphone to the smartwatch.
But that does not mean good storytelling is over. Gulf News with its supplementary publications are all part of that great tradition that feeds on innovation and talent — a fact borne out by the loyalty of our readers.
It is the English newspaper with the highest reach in the UAE — 41.1 per cent, while its closest competitor Khaleej Times is at 27 per cent.
