A Profile of the National Gay Newspaper Guild Reader

1. A Profile of the National Gay Newspaper Guild Reader

2. Primary Readership Study Among Twelve Guild Publications Conducted for the National Gay Newspaper Guild By Simmons Market Research Bureau, Inc. February 2000 – May 2000

3. 3 Table of Contents

4. 4 Introduction Atlanta – Southern Voice Boston – Bay Windows Chicago – Windy City Times Dallas – Dallas Voice Houston – Houston Voice Los Angeles – Frontiers Miami - The Weekly News New York - New York Blade News Philadelphia - Philadelphia Gay News San Diego - Gay & Lesbian Times San Francisco - Bay Area Reporter Washington D.C. - The Washington Blade

5. 5 Objectives The primary objectives of the study were to profile the network’s primary readers with respect to the following: Readership habits and media consumption Product usage/consumption and purchasing behavior Lifestyle and behavior information/leisure activities Demographic characteristics

6. 6 Questionnaire Overview Readership Sports and Fitness Entertaining/Leisure Activities Travel Food and Drink Cigarettes Vehicles Purchasing Electronic Equipment Furniture and Appliances Home Improvements Gardens Pets Online Services Banking/Investments/Insurance Household Characteristics

7. 7 Methodology Single copy readers were surveyed by affixing a #10 envelope (questionnaire packet) sporting each publication’s logo with the incentive offerings appearing on the front in bold print. The packet, which consisted of a 6-page questionnaire, a cover letter from the Publisher of the publication, and a business reply envelope, was inserted into every “nth” copy of a specified issue of each NGNG publication’s domestic newsstand distribution. The cover letters requested the reader’s cooperation and offered various gifts as incentive for returning the completed questionnaire (See Appendix). A Simmons representative supervised the insertion of the questionnaire packets into the appropriate distribution copies of each NGNG publication.

8. 8 Methodology (cont.)

9. 9 Methodology (cont.)

10. 10 Methodology (cont.)

11. 11 Organization of Report The remainder of this report highlights strategic findings from the overall research study*. Where comparable data are available, indices are provided from Simmons Market Research Bureau’s Fall 99 National Consumer Survey (NCS) data -- a syndicated product projected to the U.S. adult population. This data enables NGNG to compare the demographic characteristics and product usage behavior of its readers with those of the total U.S. adult population. Means were computed using the actual values reported by respondents in open-ended questions and the mid-point values of the ranges in closed-ended questions. For the bottom range, the mid-point was used (e.g., under 10=5); for the top range, the lower limit of the range was used (e.g., 50 or more=50).

12. 12 Organization of Report (cont.) Medians were computed using a summation process to reach the value at which 50% of the responses were higher and 50% of the responses were lower. With grouped data, the median value was calculated by taking the required proportion of the range within which the median value (50%) fell. “No Answers” to demographic questions were excluded from the base used for percentaging.

13. 13

14. 14

15. 15 Total Readers Per Copy (including respondent) This question aimed to measure share of household exposure. On average, a Guild Publication reaches more than 2 individuals in the household.

16. 16 Nearly all readers of the Guild Publications report a positive likelihood for using a product or service advertised. Usage of Product/Service Advertised in Publication

17. 17 Purchase of Product/Service Advertised in Publication Approximately 9 in 10 Guild Readers cited favorably in purchasing a product or service advertised.

18. 18

19. 19 A Guild Reader is 4.7 times more likely to travel by plane for business reasons than the average U.S. adult. Whether Respondent Took a Domestic Business Flight in Last 12 Months

20. 20 Number of Domestic Business Flights in the Last 12 Months For any number of trips, Guild Readers are more likely than the average U.S. adult to have traveled by plane for business in the last 12 months.

21. 21 A Guild Reader is 2.8 times more likely to travel by plane for vacation/personal reasons than the average U.S. adult.

22. 22 Number of Domestic Vacation/Personal Flights in the Last 12 Months For any number of trips, Guild Readers are more likely than the average U.S. adult to have traveled by plane for vacation or personal reasons in the last 12 months.

23. 23 Whether Respondent Took A Foreign Flight in the Last 3 Years A Guild Reader is 2.3 times more likely to have taken a foreign round-trip air flight than the average U.S. adult.

24. 24 Number of Foreign Flights in the Last 3 Years For any number of foreign plane trips, Guild Readers are more likely than the average U.S. adult to have taken a trip in the last 3 years.

25. 25 Whether Respondent Rented Vehicle for Business in the Last 12 Months Guild Readers are 3.6 times more likely to rent a vehicle for business purposes than the average U.S. adult.

26. 26 Number of Times Respondent Rented Vehicle for Business in the Last 12 Months For any number of business vehicle rentals, a Guild Reader is more likely to rent a vehicle for business than the average U.S. adult.

27. 27 Whether Respondent Rented Vehicle for Personal Use in the Last 12 Months Guild Readers are 3.8 times more likely to rent a vehicle for personal use than the average U.S. adult.

28. 28 Number of Times Respondent Rented Vehicle for Personal Use in the Last 12 Months For any number of vehicle rentals for personal use, Guild Readers are more likely to rent a vehicle for personal use than the average U.S. adult.

29. 29

30. 30 Items Respondent Purchased in the Last 12 Months Purchasing habits remain strong for Guild Readers when compared to the average U.S. adult, with the largest purchasing differences appearing among CD’s, Paperback and Hardcover Books.

31. 31 Indices: Likelihood to Make a Purchase When compared to the average U.S. adult, Guild Readers are more than 2 times as likely to make book purchases. Similarly, a Guild Reader is nearly 2 times as likely to purchase CD’s.

32. 32 CD’s: Number Purchased in the Last 12 Months Guild Readers are 3.3 times more likely to purchase 10 – 19 CD’s than the average U.S. adult. Most notable is the difference in purchasing 20 or more CD’s, where the Guild Reader emerges as 7 times more likely than the average U.S. adult.

33. 33 Paperback Books: Number Purchased in the Last 12 Months Across any number of paperback book purchases, Guild Readers favor in purchasing than the U.S. adult. A Guild Reader is 4.4 times more likely to purchase 20 or more paperback books than the average U.S. adult.

34. 34 Hardcover Books: Number Purchased in the Last 12 Months Again, a Guild Reader emerges with heavier purchasing habits than the average U.S. adult. Most evident is the difference in purchasing 20 or more books, where the Guild Reader is 7.6 times more likely than the average U.S. adult.

35. 35 Pre-Recorded Audio Cassette: Number Purchased in the Last 12 Months .

36. 36 Pre-Recorded Video Cassette:Number Purchased in the Last 12 Months The chart reveals that a Guild Reader is more than 2 times as likely than the average U.S. adult to purchase 10 – 30 video cassette tapes.

37. 37

38. 38 Amount of Time Spent Using Online/Interactive Services Guild Readers are 4 times more likely to be online 20 or more hours per month than the average U.S. adult.

39. 39 Across each online activity delineated below, Guild Readers notably perform more activities online when compared to the average U.S. adult. Activities Used Online Services for in the Last 30 Days

40. 40 Indices: Online Activities Most notable is that Guild Readers are 6.5 times more likely to make a purchase online than the average U.S. adult.

41. 41

42. 42 Across all securities and investments measured, the Guild Reader comes out ahead of the average U.S. adult for current ownership. Securities & Investments Currently Owned

43. 43 Guild Readers exhibit strong investment habits when compared to the average U.S. adult. The Guild Reader is 3.1 times more likely to own a 401K, 3.6 times more likely to own mutual funds, and 3 times more likely to have a money market account. Indices: Securities & Investments Currently Owned

44. 44 Nearly 1/3 of Guild Readers show a total market value investment portfolio of $75,000 or less. Total Market Value of Investment Portfolio

45. 45 Most notable are the differences in medical insurance and life insurance, where the Guild Reader exhibits more than average likelihood to have medical insurance as well as life insurance than the average U.S. adult. Types of Insurance

46. 46

47. 47 Readers of the Guild are predominantly males. In fact, they are almost twice as likely as the average U.S. population to be males (NCS index=179). Gender

48. 48 Household Size (including respondent) On average, there are 1.7 individuals in the Guild Reader household.

49. 49 Among those respondents who disclosed whom they lived with, two-fifths stated to live alone, and another two-fifths with a lover / domestic partner. Whom Respondent Lives With

50. 50 The predominant age range for the Guild Reader falls between 35 – 44 with 36% of respondents. The median age for a Guild Reader is 41.8 and 42.1 for the average U.S. adult. Age of Respondent

51. 51 More than 9 in 10 Guild Readers reported a gay/lesbian sexual descriptor. Respondent’s Sexual Orientation

52. 52 Guild Readers are 5.6 times more likely to earn an individual employment income $100,000 or more than the average U.S. adult. Individual Employment Income

53. 53 When compared to the average U.S. adult, a Guild Reader’s total household income remains above the U.S. adult across each income bracket. Most notable is the Guild Reader is 3.4 times more likely to have a household income of $250,000 or more. Total Household Income

54. 54 A sizeable portion (66.2%) of Guild Readers have a household net worth of $400,000 or less. Total Household Net Worth

55. 55 The census region chart reveals close to 4 in 10 Guild Readers reside in the South. Census Region