Daily Circulation: 8,350


List the major steps you have taken in the last four years to increase readership. Please organize your response under four headings: content, brand, service, culture.

Content
Increased amount of local coverage while reducing dependence on AP

Spotlighted "ordinary" people, not just movers and shakers

Increased coverage of local events and calendars of events

Reduced number of special sections and concentrated on main product

Brand
Carefully selected events to sponsor in local market

Brought events to town for public to attend

Increased exposure of the paper on a regular basis


Service
Improved carrier home delivery service record

Moved delivery deadlines to 6:00 a.m. from 6:30 a.m.

Offered a multitude of payment options for customers

Moved inside local stores instead of relying on racks

Culture
Working hard to promote a culture of pride in the organization

Actively seek opinions of the staff when making decisions

Use of staff committees on major projects



What is the most innovative, successful or noteworthy thing you have done on readership that you think other papers might learn from or want to emulate?
No one thing can be isolated. We are simply trying very hard to become an integral part of our reader's lives. We want them to make the time to read our products. If one thing were to be selected, it would be our Web site that now brings our products to the Internet. We are now the busiest Web site in this region with 1,500,000 highly filtered page views per month.



What is the most persuasive indication you have that your readership efforts are producing results?
Circulation has stabilized, especially home delivery, and is growing again. Also, we receive many comments from people that we are doing a better job than in the past.



What is the most important lesson you have learned as you have worked on readership in the last few years?
Listen to your market. If you don't hear anything, that is an indication that you are becoming irrelevant and unnecessary. If you don't hear anything, ASK. Then, be prepared to act on what you are told.



What would you like to do on readership that you have not been able to do and why haven't you been able to do it?
Would like to provide additional news and features to the market that financial constraints prohibit.

Getting Traction on Readership

Survey Responses by Topic & Newspaper