College

Media Association NYC2016

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)
Get in
the
habit
7 student media opportunities 1

from a nationwide survey of students

 College Media Association NYC2016
A new crop of freshmen

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)

Why not 4,000 new readers?

Its the same issue for the pros

Everyone is NOT your audience.

Sneezers and the Hive

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 College Media Association NYC2016
Huh?

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)

Think of Amazon

Sneezers: Authors

Seth Godin
Hive: People who buy 30 books a year How to Launch an
Idea Supervirus

Spreading your message should be like spreading a

3

VIRUS
 College Media Association NYC2016
For news media

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)

Think
newshounds

Who reads your

content the MOST?

Who SHARES it?

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7 Key OPPORTUNITIES
 College Media Association NYC2016
1. Your audience is larger than you think

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)

Do you read your college newspaper,
either in print or online?

34%

Yes No
66%
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 College Media Association NYC2016
1. Your audience is larger than you think

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)

And they read more 10%

often than you 6%

20%

think Daily
Print 11%
2-3 Times a Week
Once a Week

19% 2-3 Times a Month

11% Once a Month
Less than Once a Month
Never
23% 6
 College Media Association NYC2016
1. Your audience is larger than you think

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)

And they read more 10%
11%
often than you 4%
6%
20%
23%

think 8% Daily
Website 11%
2-3 Times a Week
Once a Week
10%
19% 2-3 Times a Month
11% Once a Month
27% Less than Once a Month
17% Never
23% 7
 College Media Association NYC2016
1. Your audience is larger than you think

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)

And they read more 10%
11%
often than you 24%
4%
6%
20%
26%
23%

think 8% Daily
Facebook 11%
2-3 Times a Week
Once a Week
6%
10%
19% 2-3 Times a Month
11% Once a Month
4% 16%
27% Less than Once a Month
8%
17% Never
23%
16% 8
 College Media Association NYC2016
1. Your audience is larger than you think

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)

And they read more 10%
11%
17%
often than you 24%
4%
6%
20%
23%
26%
think 8% Daily
40%
Twitter 11%
2-3 Times a Week
Once a Week
10%
6% 19%
19% 2-3 Times a Month
11% Once a Month
4% 16%
27% Less than Once a Month
8% 17% 9% Never
5% 9
4%
23%6%
16%
.. and they think highly of you.

College Media Association NYC2016

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)
How would you rate your college newspaper,
in general, on each of the following?
from 0 (terrible) to 4 (excellent)
ALL students
Mobile phone friendly content 2.39
College town coverage 2.52
Web content 2.57
Overall value 2.68
Believability 2.86 10
Campus coverage 2.91
 College Media Association NYC2016
and they notice ads.

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)

Where do you like to see advertising the most?
Averaged rankings from one (the most) to 10 (the least)

1. Campus newspaper website 3.3

2. Campus newspaper in print 3.7
3. Email newsletter 4.5
4. Facebook 5.3
5. Twitter 5.6
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 College Media Association NYC2016
2. Facebook

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)

If you dont have a Facebook strategy, you need one.

For readers and non readers, Facebook is the

news source with the most interaction.
... Source where ads are noticed the most.
... Prefered source for college town news.
... Prefered source for CAMPUS news.
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3. Credibility

College Media Association NYC2016

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)
Please rate how important each of the following
are when you choose where to get your news.
From 0 (not important) to 5 (very important)
Credibility 4.18
Convenience 3.88
Multimedia possibilities 3.3
Prominence 3.18
Interactivity 3.18
Tradition 2.93 13
A friend's recommendation 2.91
3. Credibility

College Media Association NYC2016

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)
Its more important for NON readers than readers.

Its more important than CONVENIENCE.

How do
you establish
credibility?

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 College Media Association NYC2016
4. Hyperlocality

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)

Which topics do readers and non readers want to see their
college newspaper cover the MOST?
Averaged rankings from one (the most) to 8 (the least)

1. Campus news (academics and university spending) 2.63

2. Local news (crime and city council) 3.47
3. Events around campus (concerts and performances) 3.86
4. Your college athletics 4.59
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5. National news, politics, profiles, investigative reporting
all above 5
5. Email newsletters

College Media Association NYC2016

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)
You can sell them, but do readers want them?

Social Media (Twitter /

Preferred 20% Facebook)
source Campus Newspaper
for campus 33% Text Message
news? 8%
Email newsletter

17% 16
5. Email newsletters

College Media Association NYC2016

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)
You can sell them, but do readers want them?

16%
Social Media (Twitter /
Facebook)
Preferred 5% Campus Newspaper
source
37% Text Message
for college
town news? Email newsletter

18%
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 6. Habits

College Media Association NYC2016

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)
Reasons FOR reading the campus newspaper in general
from 0 (Not at all important) to 5 (Extremely Important)

I enjoy reading the campus newspaper 3.38

I need to know whats going on 3.44

I want to know whats happening in my college town 3.49

I want to stay involved on campus 3.53

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I want to know whats happening on campus 3.76
 6. Habits

College Media Association NYC2016

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)
Readers are more involved in
Going to bars 1.08
2.38

Intramural sports 0.58

2.16

University sports 0.73

2.27

Student politics 0.6

2.17

Greek Life 0.45

1.82

Student activities 1.49 19

2.98

Non readers No Yes

Readers
 College Media Association NYC2016
7. Research

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)

You can / should do this yourself

Public email addresses

Faculty assistance

Free / cheap survey platforms

Google Forms
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Survey Monkey
Qualtrics
Demographic Breakdowns

College Media Association NYC2016

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)
Freshmen 201 Men 320
Sophomores 239 Women 684
Juniors 243
Seniors 268 White 661
Graduate Students 60 African American 138
Asian 75
Large public university 498 Hispanic 98
Small public university 274 Other 39
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Large private university 116
Small private university 121
 College Media Association NYC2016
Breakdown by census region

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)

West 233
Midwest 217
Northeast 190
South 371

Urban 475
Rural 189
Suburban 342 22
 College Media Association NYC2016
For full report

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)

Future of Student Media Summit
April 8, 9
Athens, Ohio

Thanks to Scripps College of Communication,

The Post for making this research possible.

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Questions?

College Media Association NYC2016

Hans K. Meyer (meyerh@ohio.edu)
Handouts

http://facebook.com/hanskmeyer
http://hanskmeyer.com
@OHJProf on Twitter

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