Rural Publication Readership April 2010

1. Rural Publication ReadershipApril 2010

2. Summary • Farming newspapers are the most frequently mentioned source of farming information • Amongst all farms, Country-Wide is strongly differentiated for the quality of articles about: • Farm management • Pasture management, and • Livestock and animal health • Amongst the dairy segment, NZ Dairy Exporter is strongly differentiated for the quality of articles about: • Farm management • Pasture management • Livestock and animal health, and • Research and development • Amongst all farmers, NZ Dairy Exporter and Farmers Weekly are regarded as the most worthwhile publications to read • NZ Dairy Exporter is considered to be the most worthwhile publication to read amongst the dairy segment

3. Farmers get their information from the farming publications. Overall, 44% of farmers first mentioned farming publications as a source of farming information Sources of farming Information – First Mentioned(1)(2) Notes: (1) Base: All Respondents n = 450; (2) QCW3 Where would you say you get your farming information? First response only

4. For all information sources mentioned - farming publications are the most frequently mentioned Sources of farming information – All Mentioned(1)(2) Notes: (1) Base: All Respondents n = 450; (2) QCW3 Where would you say you get your farming information? Question is multiple response so total will sum to greater than 100%

5. Variance Analysis explanation • A variance analysis looks at profiles across brands and determines what attributes are peaking on that brand, so regardless of the number of people who have chosen a brand, attributes can still be identified as high on that brand. • A variance analysis can be used to produce performance scores for a number of brands on a number of attributes. If a difference score of -5% is yielded, it means that brand was associated with that attribute 5% less than expected. If a difference score is +5% it means the brand was associated with that attribute 5% more than expected. This means that difference scores are a measure of how a brand is ‘performing' on that attribute.

6. ALL FARMERS:Farmers Weekly is strongly recognised for news, agribusiness and market analysis and Straight Furrow and Rural News for articles about machinery. Country-Wide is strongly recognised for farm management, pasture and livestock articles Variance Analysis Farmers Weekly Straight Furrow Rural News Country-Wide Base: n=450 All farmers

7. ALL FARMERS:NZ Dairy Exporter is the only dairy publication with a differentiated profile Variance Analysis Dairy News NZ Dairy Exporter The Dairyman Base: n=450 All farmers

8. ALL FARMERS:The three dairy publications and Country-Wide are positioned on similar attributes. Rural News and Straight Furrow are seen as similar. Farmers Weekly occupies a unique space Perceptual Map (All Farms)(1) Note: (1) Base: All Farmers, n= 450

9. ALL FARMERS:Country-Wide leads association on farm management, pasture management, and animal health articles, Farmers Weekly on farm news & market information and Straight Furrow on machinery Article Type and Publication Association (All Farms)(1)(2) Notes: (1) Base: All farmers, n = 450; (2) QCW1 What magazines or publications do you associate with each statement?

10. Dairy Farmers only:Amongst dairy farms, NZ Dairy Exporter is the publication that is most strongly differentiated and stands out for articles on farm management, R&D, livestock and pasture management. Dairy News is not well differentiated on any publication aspect. The New (cont.) Variance Analysis NZ Dairy Exporter The Dairyman Dairy News Farmers Weekly Base: Dairy Farmers, n=154

11. (continued from previous page) Zealand Farmers Weekly stands out for market information, news and agribusiness. Variance Analysis Straight Furrow Rural News Country Wide Base: Dairy Farmers, n=154

12. Dairy Farmers:Dairy farmers associate Farmers Weekly with market analysis and Dairy Exporter with farm management type articles. Perceptual Map (Dairy Farms)(1) Notes: (1) Base: Dairy farmers, n= 154

13. Dairy Farmers: The publication image profile is dominated by NZ Dairy Exporter. Article and Publication Association (Dairy Farms)(1)(2) Notes: (1) Base: Dairy Farmers n = 154; (2) QCW1 What magazines or publications do you associate with each statement?

14. All Farmers excluding Dairy:Excluding dairy, The NZ Farmers Weekly is associated with market information and analysis, news and agribusiness. Country-Wide is strongly recognised for farm management type articles. These two publications clearly complement each other. Country Wide Farmers Weekly Straight Furrow Rural News Variance Analysis Base: n=296 All farmers except Dairy

15. All Farmers excluding Dairy: Excluding dairy farmers also shows Farmers Weekly and Country-Wide having the advantage of occupying distinct positions while Rural News and Straight Furrow are viewed as similar Perceptual Map (All Farms Except Dairy)(1)(2) Notes: (1) Base: All Farmers except Dairy, n= 296; (2) Excludes dairy publications

16. All Farmers excluding Dairy: Of note, Country-Wide’s image profile is stronger when dairy farms are excluded, with Country-Wide leading association on farm management type articles and animal health Article Type and Publication Association (All Farms Except Dairy)(1)(2) Notes: (1) Base: All farmers excluding Dairy Farmers n = 296; (2) QCW1 What magazines or publications do you associate with each statement?

17. All Farmers:NZ Dairy Exporter , The NZ Farmers Weekly and Country-Wide are the three publications rated most worthwhile reading Publications Worth Reading (All Farmers)(1)(2) 1st 3rd 2nd 4th 1st 2nd 3rd 40% 48% 50% 41% 52% 59% 74% Mean score 7.0 6.5 6.3 6.6 7.5 6.4 6.4 Asked of Dairy Farmers only(2) Notes: (1) Base: All farmers, n = 450, (2) Dairy farmers n=154

18. Dairy Farmers:Dairy farmers regard NZ Dairy Exporter as the publication that’s most worth reading . The NZ Farmers Weekly is in second place (ahead of the other two specialist dairy publications). Publications Worth Reading (Dairy Farmers)(1) Your best combination to reach dairy farmers 33% 35% 40% 48% 53% 47% 74% Mean score 7.5 6.4 6.4 6.8 6.4 6.0 5.6 Notes: (1) Base: Dairy Farmers, n = 154

19. All Farmers (excluding dairy):All farmers excluding dairy say Farmers Weekly and Country-Wide are the most worthwhile reading . Publications Worth Reading (All Farmers Except Dairy)(1) 1st 3rd 2nd 4th 44% 51% 62% 61% Mean score 7.2 6.5 6.4 7.2 Notes: (1) Base: Farmers excluding Dairy Farmers, n = 296

20. Technical • TNS New Zealand and Conversa Global merged in 2007 to form New Zealand’s largest custom research company. The New Zealand office based in Auckland is part of TNS Global, the largest customised market research organisation in the world, with offices in over 80 countries. In 2008 TNS became part of WPP, one of the world’s largest communications services groups. The group includes leading companies in advertising (e.g. JWT, Ogilvy and Mather, Y&R), media planning and buying (e.g. Mediacom), PR, branding and identity, below-the-line marketing and information, insight and consultancy. The organisation employs 110,000 people working in 2,000 offices • As a full service research-based business consultancy, TNS Conversa combines the global reach and access to leading-edge intellectual property of TNS, and the commercial, marketing, statistical and research expertise and processes of Conversa Global. We use statistics, market research, economic and financial analysis and commercial skills and experience to solve market facing problems and track market performance. Our clients include New Zealand’s largest and most successful organisations • Research for the NZX Agri rural publication readership was undertaken between 31st March and the 13th April as part of a quarterly omnibus survey of agri-businesses in New Zealand. The omnibus survey interviewed 450 farmers • Interviews were conducted by telephone using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI)