Zululand Observer Weekend and Monday Editions

We have the whole of Zululand covered

The only bi-weekly newspaper in the area, the Zululand Observer caters exclusively for Zululanders with an audited print order averaging 20 500 (readership 92 250) on a Thursday and 14 500 (readership 62 500) on a Monday.

Distribution extends from Stanger in the south to Pongola in the north, while inland it incorporates Ulundi, eShowe, Vryheid and Melmoth. While the core readership area is in the industrial hub of Richards Bay/Empangeni, all Zululand towns feature in news gathering. The acid test for any newspaper is not only to keep its readership, but to actually expand it. In this regard the Zululand Observer had an impressive growth of 70% in the past five years.

In addition independent research shows that the Zululand Observer is by far the most read newspaper circulating in eSikhaleni, Ngwelezane, Nseleni and Macekane. Research conducted by Johannesburg-based Freshly Ground Insights (FGI) among random grocery shoppers reflected a readership of 38% in these townships - despite the fact that 80% of the population earn less than R3 000 per month. Readers were interviewed face to face and answers were collated by FGI using cell phones and tailor-made data collection.

‘We were well aware that we were achieving 70% of the 7-10 LSM (more affluent sector) in the Empangeni/Richards Bay core area of distribution as shown by the 2007 ROOTS survey, but this research shows that we are also by far the biggest read publication in the townships and lower income areas,’ said Marketing Director of Zululand Observer publications, Gavin Anthony.