Given the weather has been some of the hottest in history over the past year, it would be difficult to say the 20% increase in the Otago Daily Times’ audience was because of a need to keep household fires burning.
Results of the recent Roy Morgan readership survey for print newspapers, show the ODT’s readership has grown by 50,000 to reach an audience of 304,000 over the 12 months to December 2021.
The result means the daily paper now has the third-largest readership in New Zealand — behind the New Zealand Herald (1,844,000) and The Dominion Post (408,000) — and ahead of The Press (272,000), the Sunday Star-Times (216,000) and the Waikato Times (195,000).
The survey also showed about 2.9million (69.5%) New Zealanders aged 14 or over now read or accessed newspapers in an average seven-day period via print or online (website or app) platforms.
Otago Daily Times editor in chief Barry Stewart said the paper’s latest figures were "sensational".
He believed the impressive growth was partially created by the events of the past year, particularly concerning Covid-19, and people’s appetite for trusted information.
"We are committed to coverage of the events in our community and we have a great team of reporters who deliver reliable news and information that matters to our readers.
"Trusted news and information from a trusted source has never been more important, and that’s where we have earned that reputation and trust over the past 160 years.
"That’s why we are supported like no other."
