The problem of “finding a measurable unit, some standard way of analysing our material” (Berger, 1998: 25) is what we tackled during our research. For the reason of our international group members understand standard varied, we have to count the numbers again as we have finished our interview with the deputy editor of newspaper.
2.2 In-depth Interview
An in-depth interview is a qualitative research technique that allows person to person discussion. It can lead to highlight or reveal the real meaning or attention on important issues. The in-depth interview uses a flexible interview approach. It aims to ask questions to explain the reasons underlying a problem or practice in target people. This technique were used to gather ideas and to develop materials for the policy maker’s thinking of newspaper. Unfortunately, the editor in chief is in abroad for holiday but we interviewed the deputy editor, a local person with his whole career in this newspaper.
We made a draft questions concerned with the aims of the newspaper, its market strategies, the management structure and what the editor’s evaluation, etc, for preparing of the interview. We found that there are some exaggerate or intending to no answer during our interview. That is main shortcoming of this technique. The interviewee escapes your questions.
2.3 Questionnaire
Questionnaire-based surveys are one of the most common tools used by media researchers to establish either audience nor editors or broadcasters preferences. () We design a questionnaire to research what the opinion of the staffs in the editor room and advertising team. With 15 out, 12 back. The return rate is 80%.
It is very important to design a questionnaire. For the reason of this questionnaire design, we collect and survey not too much useful information for our further study.
2.4 Data Collection
People’s fascination with 'facts' is persistent and universal. That is why we need to collect factual data for our research.
When we were in the editor’s room, we request to some materials of this newspaper, but unfortunately, the editor did not find them. As we are requiring some data of advertising or finance report, the editor refused circumbendibus.
By the searching of internet, we find a good resource for local newspaper statistics: JICREG (Joint Industry Committee for Regional Press Research) website. JICREG has become the main currency used by the UK advertisers, agencies, regional press publishers and their sales houses. With factual data of circulation and other facts, we can read the newspaper thoroughly.
3. Findings
Through different research methods, we can get some findings to reveal the real agenda and find out the nature of Stirling Observer.
3.1 Aim for profit
Not as we imagined, the local newspaper should run in low profit, or just live for survive, this newspaper has been doing quite well on its financial side. As the amount showing in the Chart 1, there are 613 pages (calculated by the size) advertisements in this newspaper in two months as while there are only 896 pages in total. The percentage of advertisement in space is 68.4%.
In Chart 2, there are 1194 ‘stories’ and about 739 photographs. During interview the Deputy Editor told us that the reason behind such a high number of photographs is a marketing strategy. Coloured photographs of recently married couples, of new born babies, of students who have graduated actually pushed the sale of the newspapers as people tend to buy more copies either to circulate among friends or relatives or for the memory gift.
Both of them show the strategy and publish idea on circulation and advertising of this newspaper.
In the interview, Mr. Donald Morton, the Deputy Editor of Stirling Observer, introduced that the target audience is the people who would like to read the local news around them, the people who try to buy or sell something through the newspaper, and the people who look for a job and the people who enjoy the sports news. Actually, he added that this newspaper is catering for those people who are willing to pay 60 pence to buy. It is a typical “consumer sovereign”. The newspaper is trying to make profit from the local inhabitants, both in paper selling and advertising selling.
3.2 Nature of Stirling Observer
In 1999, the Stirling Observer changed into tabloid with its hundred years’ look of broadsheet. As our questionnaire reveals that the tabloid format is supported by the editors. With success of circulation increase, the new format strategy is also success in market.
According to Joint Industry Committee for Regional Press Research, the circulation of Stirling Observer in Stirling area in August of this year was: on Wednesday: 10,512 copies, Friday: 2,041 copies. The Readership Per Copy is varied, Friday is 3.5 but Wednesday is 3. Mr Morton pointed out one factor that Friday paper was considered smaller than Wednesday paper was that the Friday paper catering those people who live in the countryside and small villages.
As the Table 1 above shows, that the newspaper is well done in the concept of local public sphere comprising the “totality of communication and information processes in the local setting”(Hollander, 1988: 25). While the questionnaire result shows that 40% staffs consider there is no need to improve the quality of Stirling Observer. 60% employees hold the opinion that it is necessary to improve the quality of it by involving more local issues, better photographs and imaginative editorials.
Conclusion
As our research reveals, the real agenda of Stirling Observer is to pursue money with local catering. In the mean while, it is success in such marketing because the newspaper posses two core competitive forces: history, newsroom strategies, the superior delivery of local news. Regard to history, Stirling Observer was the only press issued locally from their time of establishment to their time of growth and still remain to be so. To newsroom strategies, the quality and quantity of the local news they cover and deliver are also unbeatable by any other media in Central Scotland area.
Though there are short of investigation, short of research methods, the result is still practical and significant. Hopingly, there is more in-depth research on this newspaper, because as we are researching, find it is out of academic scope for local newspaper in the UK.
References:
Berger, Arthur Asa, edited, 1998, Media Research Techniques, Sage Publications, London,
Hollander, E. H. (1988) Lokale Communicatie en Lokale Openbaarheid Openbaarheid als Communicatiewetenschappelijk Concept”(Local Communication and local public sphere. Public Sphere as a Concept in Communication Science), dissertation, Nijmegen:Catholic University
Jensen, Klaus Bruhn, and Jankowski, Nicholas W., 1991, A handbook of qualitative methodologies for mass coummunication research, Routledge, London
JICREG, August 2004, JICREG Newspaper Readership Report (JICREG DATA) for the location: Stirling
Appendix: 1 The Interview
To pursue the research topic of the agenda of Stirling Observer, we made an appointment with Mr. Donald Morton, who is the deputy editor of this local newspaper. Through the interview we sought to obtain the ‘inside view’ from the editor.
Before the interview, we prepared several main questions concerned with the aims of the newspaper, its market strategies, the management structure and what the editor’s evaluation?
The interview lasted for about 80 minutes. The group members asked the prepared questions as well as some added questions, which were thought out during the course of the interview.
We were allowed to record this interview, we used tape recorder to record the whole interview and the video recorder to shoot some sections of the interview.
The important information we obtained from this interview is as following:
The aims of the newspaper
Mr. Donald introduced their circulation is roughly 20,000 to 21,000, and the readership roughly reaches to 80,000 for the family readers. The target audience is the people who would like to read the local news around them, the people who try to buy or sell something through the newspaper, the people who look for a job and the people who enjoy the sports news. The readership of Wed paper is the people live around the Stirling town centre, while the readership of Fri paper is the people from the countryside and some small villages.
He mentioned the newspaper takes an aim at the news writing. He indicated that people often come directly to see them and tell them the stories they feel interested in. As nearly 80,000 might read the newspaper, they must be with the aim of service to the local people and telling them what happens around them when things are coming up. He hoped people would consider Stirling Observer as a reliable local newspaper.
To have a look at its market strategies aspect, the editor talked a lot as well.
About the competition, he did not mention any one nearby. Two versions of Stirling Observer have already covered the news happened in the whole area. He introduced as well that the newspaper was awarded ‘Scottish Local Newspaper of the Year’ this May for its good news stories and good pictures.
As a most important target of this interview, we asked several questions about the advertising. Although he emphasized that the news stories were more important than the advertising, he considered if the newspaper did not have advertising, it could not be called newspaper. He pointed out one factor that Friday paper was considered smaller than Wednesday paper was: There were fewer advertising in Friday paper because of the low number of people who live in the countryside and small villages.
Concerned with the photos inside the newspaper, Mr. Donald insisted that photographs were important to a local newspaper. To some extent, they could increase the circulation. To explain it, he said that if people were taken into the picture, their relatives and friends would buy the newspaper as well as the people themselves. On the point of promotion technique, he mentioned that the newspaper would contain the promotion of books, videos as well as Christmas gifts. Furthermore, He himself would go out to the school and the university to speak with the people about Stirling Observer.
The management structure
When was asked the information about the newspaper’s ownership, Mr. Donald introduced that the newspaper was owned by the company called Scottish and Universal Newspaper, which owns about 20 newspapers in the country. The company is also a part of Trinity Mirror that owns daily mirror and daily record as well.
To answer the question about the conflict between journalists and managers, He said that the journalists in this newspaper are free to write what they want. They are not forced to follow the commercial line
Future plan
When was asked about the future plan of this newspaper, Mr. Donald said they would focus on how to let people like such kind of local newspaper. They would pay more attention to the festivals, like Christmas and the New Year, giving people good suggestions on how to plan their holidays and leisure time as well as introducing different life styles. He agreed that the newspaper would grow up together with Stirling people.
Appendix: 2 The Questionnaire and Analyse
We sent out 15 questionnaires and got 12 back.
1. 60% staffs have been working with Stirling Observer for more than 8 years. 40% staffs worked for it 1-2 years. There are more experienced employees. Stirling Observer is successful in maintaining the loyalty of staffs.
2. 40% staffs are interested in political news. Most employees pay more attention on non-political issues, such as community news, sports, environment, health etc.
3. All employees support the tabloid format of Stirling Observer
4. 40% staffs consider there is no need to improve the quality of Stirling Observer. Except for one staff giving up answering this question, 60% employees hold the opinion that it is necessary to improve the quality of it by involving more local issues, better photographs and imaginative editorials.
5. 80% staffs come from Scotland. Among them, 50% staffs are local. There are only 20% employees coming from England.
6. All staffs are full-time employees.
7. Stirling Observer is managed by a close group of journalists, marketing and management staff. And 80% staffs utilize personal contacts as their main news or advertisements sources, such as phone call, e-mail and word of mouth etc.
Cited from website: http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/qualmethsyl.html
Cited from website: http://www.censydiam.com/methods_quantitative_research.shtml
Cited from website: http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/308/308lect09.htm
