Regional press has real power

Andrew Ingham’s Factfile “Why radio has local authority”, highlighted a most unrevealing piece of research that the Radio Advertising Bureau is no doubt going to hail as “groundbreaking”.

Unfortunately, the research would seem to back up a most ordinary perception of the medium among its own listeners. None of the stations are particularly authoritative and listeners tend to choose stations they like and which they subsequently will rate positively. I think it is extraordinary that your respected journal endorses such uneventful research. I think most media planners and marketing personnel are wise to the true story here.

How can stations be authoritative when they command little more than eight per cent reach at any given time of day?

There is only one medium with local authority and it has been around for nearly 300 years. The regional press enjoys an average issue readership of 86 per cent of the adult population and paid-for titles are read for an average of 33 minutes.

Mark Horton

Northcliffe Newspapers Group

London WC1