Significant Print Readership Research Papers: 1953-2006

The following is a list of the major print media research papers published by Roy Morgan Research (including Roy Morgan, Gary Morgan, Michele Levine, George Rennie, Peter Grant, Geoffrey Smith, Sergey Dorofeev, Marcus Tarrant, Gregory Hywood, William Burlace, John Davis and Chris Gibson) and published by others including Alfred Politz, W R (Bill) Simmons, J M Agostini, Timothy Joyce, Richard Lysaker, Wayne Eadie, Christopher Fry, Neil Shepherd-Smith, Valentine Appel, Paul Chook, Harold Mitchell, Tony Jarvis, Brian Shields, Andrew Green and others.

  1. The Power of Newspaper Editorial & Advertising
    Paper presented at Country Press Association 106th Annual Conference, Parliament House NSW,
    Michele Levine, Gary Morgan - October 26, 2006
    The Power of Newspaper Editorial & Advertising.pdf

  2. Reaching Consumers in the Age of Digital Convergence 
    Paper published by Admap UK, Michele Levine – March 2006
    Reaching Consumers age of digital convergence.pdf

  3. Are you going by the numbers? IF YES: Are they the right numbers?
    Paper presented at International Herald Tribune Conference, Hong Kong & Singapore,
    Michele Levine, Gary Morgan - October 2004
    Are you going by the numbers.pdf

  4. A Fresh Look at Estimating Readership Frequency Distribution 
    Paper presented at ESOMAR/ARF Worldwide Audience Measurement Conference,
    Gary Morgan, Michele Levine, Sergey Dorofeev - Geneva June 2004
    A Fresh Look at Estimating Readership Frequency Distribution.pdf

  5. A Global Review of Print Readership Surveys -
    Presentation at ESOMAR/ARF Worldwide Audience Measurement Conference, Billets, Andrew Green - Geneva June 15, 2004
    See Page 23: 4. Fairness of Research Method - 78% of Australian media buyers agree for Roy Morgan readership estimates,
    higher than for any other country result.
    A Global Review of Print Readership Surveys.pdf

  6. It’s Time? Sectional Readership Data for Newspapers
    Paper prepared for the Australian Newspaper Industry Forum, Gregory Hywood, William Burlace – February 12, 2004
    It’s Time? Sectional Readership Data for Newspapers.pdf

  7. Reading: Looking into…logging onto
    Paper presented at Worldwide Readership Research Symposium, Cambridge Massachusetts USA,
    Michele Levine, Gary Morgan, Marcus Tarrant, Nicola Hepenstall, William Burlace - October 2003
    Reading: Looking into…logging onto.pdf 

  8. Readers-per-copy: Beyond the phoney figure debate to understanding reader choice and how to drive it your way -Paper presented at Worldwide Readership Research Symposium, Cambridge Massachusetts USA,
    Michele Levine, Gary Morgan, Marcus Tarrant - October 2003
    Readers-per-copy: Beyond the phoney figure debate to understanding reader choice and how to drive it your way.pdf

  9. Selling Print Short: the need to re-assess reading and readership
    Paper presented at Worldwide Readership Research Symposium, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, Brian Shields - October 26-29, 2003
    Selling Print Short: the need to re-assess reading and readership.pdf

  10. Audit Readership Studies Media Markets 
    Out of 11 major US syndicated newspaper readership studies, only two provide ‘acceptable’ data
    for developing newspaper reach and frequencies:
    Gallup and Roy Morgan, Tony Jarvis, Media Markets Daily – January 30, 2003
    Audit Readership Studies Media Markets.pdf

  11. Reading Between the Lines - The Australian Media, May 29-June 4, 2003 
    which includes Mark Day’s article in The Australian (Media) on how credible are Morgan’s readership figures;
    Harold Mitchell’s response ‘Defending Morgan’.
    Reading Between The Lines The Australian Media.pdf

  12. Single Source - For Increased Advertising Productivity in a Multimedia World 
    Paper presented at ARF Week of Workshops, Chicago USA, Michele Levine,
    Gary Morgan, Nicola Hepenstall, Nick North, Geoffrey Smith - October 2001
    Single Source - For Increased Advertising Productivity in a Multimedia World.pdf

  13. A New Method to Measure Media Casualness for Magazines and Newspapers 
    Paper presented at 10th Worldwide Readership Research Symposium, Venice,
    Gary Morgan, Michele Levine, Sergey Dorofeev - October 2001
    A New Method to Measure Media Casualness for Magazines and Newspapers-01.pdf
    A New Method to Measure Media Casualness for Magazines and Newspapers-02.pdf

  14. Single Source - The Problem Solver 
    Paper compares Roy Morgan Diary TV Ratings with Nielsen People Meter TV Ratings, Geoffrey Smith - July 2000
    Single Source - The Problem Solver.pdf

  15. The Market Impact of New Media -
    Geoffrey Smith – July 1999
    Market Impact of New Media Geoffrey Smith

  16. Proof! Same budget, get 30-50% greater value!  
    Paper presented to The Inch Club, Sydney,
    Gary Morgan and Michele Levine – May 7, 1998
    Proof! Same budget, get 30-50% greater value.pdf

  17. Pragmatic Readership Measure for the Future 
    Presented at Worldwide Readership Research Symposium, Vancouver,
    Michele Levine, Gary Morgan and Peter Grant – Revised October 1997
    Pragmatic Readership Measure for the Future.pdf

  18. World Readership Research Papers, March 1994
    Document sent to subscribers and potential subscribers to the Roy Morgan Multi-media Survey listing important published papers.
    It explains why the “currency” for all readership research should be “specific issue”. Attached to the paper is a summary prepared
    by Roy Morgan covering the key points made by W.R. Simmons, October 14, 1969: “A New Look at Reach and Frequency”
    presented at the 15th Annual Advertising Research Foundation. 
    World Readership Research Papers.pdf
    A New Look at Reach and Frequency.pdf

  19. New Zealanders fail to heed Neil Shepherd-Smith’s cry to “put the poor beast out of its misery”,
    Gary Morgan - March 31, 1994
    New Zealanders fail to heed Neil Shepherd Smith' s Cry.pdf

  20. Average issue readership – there is something wrong!
    Neil Shepherd-Smith, Telmar Communications Ltd - November 1, 1993
    Average issue readership.pdf

  21. Roy Morgan Readership Seminar 
    Melbourne and Sydney, Presented by Gary Morgan, John Davis and Chris Gibson - April 10-11, 1991
    RMR Readership Seminar.pdf

  22. Beware of Media Schedules which include Magazines Published with Newspapers,
    Gary Morgan, John Davis and Chris Gibson - March 25, 1991
    Beware of Media Schedules.pdf

  23. The Ideal Survey – and until the Ideal Survey -
    Presented at Worldwide Readership Research Symposium V, Hong Kong,
    Gary Morgan, John Davis and Chris Gibson - February 3-8, 1991
    The Ideal Survey and Until the Ideal Survey.pdf

  24. The Roy Morgan Readership Survey Results Obtained for
    Magazines Published with Newspapers, Gary Morgan - September 1989
    Roy Morgan Readership Survey

  25. Memo to all Subscribers of the 1985 Re-interview Survey -
    A comprehensive document which outlines in detail the theory behind Roy Morgan’s new casualness system,
    George Rennie and Gary Morgan - October 1986
    Memo to all Subscribers of the 1985 Reinterview Survey

  26. Developing a Magazine Readership Validating Technique -
    Paper on competing methods for measuring average issue audiences in the US, Montreal Readership Symposium, Wayne Eadie and Richard L Lysaker - June 1983
    Developing a magazine readership validating technique Wayne Eadie

  27. How a Composite Method has overcome Telescoping, Prestige and Replication in Readership Research
    “Symposium II” on Readership Research, Montreal, Roy Morgan - June 1983
    How A Composite Method Has Overcome Telescoping Prestige And Replication

  28. Roy Morgan critically reviews Timothy Joyce article “Recent-reading method
    yields more accurate counts of magazine audiences”, Marketing News - May 13, 1983
    Timothy Joyce Marketing News

  29. Casualness Statistics by Age and Sex 
    A comprehensive report covering culmination of readers with empirical testing aimed at clarifying an issue which was first raised in 1968 following the introduction of schedule measurement systems in Australia, George Rennie – May 1982
    Casualness Statistics by Age and Sex

  30. A New Approach In Audience Measurement For Print Media -
    Paper presented at the ESOMAR Seminar “Improving Media Research”, Stockholm, Sweden, Roy Morgan - April 1982
    A New Approach In Audience Measurement For Print Media

  31. Magazine Readership and Images, Gary Morgan - March 1, 1982 
    Magazine Readership And Images 

  32. The ARF Comparability Study, Paul H Chook, Ziff-Davis Publishing Company – 1981
    The ARF Comparability Study

  33. Readership Research: Need for Australian Advertisers and Agencies to Act,
    Gary Morgan – February 26, 1981
    Readership Research Need to Act

  34. Telescoping: The Skeleton in the Recent Reading Closet -
    Magazine Research Symposium, New Orleans, Valentine Appel - 1981
    Telescoping: Skeleton in Recent Reading Closet 1981

  35. Marketing Research 1980 - Paper presented at Australian Marketing
    Institute National Convention, Melbourne, Gary Morgan - May 22, 1980
    Marketing Research 1980

  36. Readership Research Today & Tomorrow - Paper presented to the Market
    Research Society of Australia, Gary Morgan - May 21, 1980
    Readership Research Today and Tomorrow Gary Morgan

  37. ARF Comparability Study - A Controlled Field Experiment Comparing Three Methods
    of Estimating Magazine Audiences, Simmons Market Research Bureau Inc - January 1980
    ARF Comparability Study

  38. Letter to Sir Philip Jones, Chairman of Directors, Herald & Weekly Times 
    Reply to an enquiry to conduct a survey for the Herald & Weekly Times on the problems related to
    why people don’t buy or read the Melbourne Herald, Gary Morgan – January 1974
    Letter and report to Sir Philip Jones Chairman HWT

  39. Magazine readership: is there something wrong? Neil Shepherd-Smith – January 1973
    Magazine readership is there something wrong

  40. Readership of Magazines - Paper answers McNair’s (now AC Nielsen) criticism of
    Roy Morgan’s readership survey method, Roy Morgan and Gary Morgan - August 9, 1972
    Readership Of Magazines

  41. The Accumulation of Audiences for Australian Publications, Christopher Fry -
    October 1971- February 1972
    Accumulation of Audiences for Aust Publications

  42. A Philosophy, Roy Morgan Research Readership - Paper covering important issues
    regarding measuring readership of newspapers and magazines, Roy Morgan - 1972
    A Philosophy

  43. Research in Advertising: Gaps and opportunities for the next 3 years, Roy Morgan - August 1970
    Research In Advertising Gaps And Opportunities

  44. A New Look at Reach and Frequency
    Presented at the 15th Annual Conference Advertising Research Foundation, W.R. Simmons - October 14, 1969.
    See Paper No. 16 above “a summary prepared by Roy Morgan covering the key points made by W.R. Simmons.
    A New Look at Reach and Frequency

  45. An Experimental Study comparing Magazine Audiences as determined by Two Questioning Procedures -
    Study conducted by Alfred Politz Media Studies for Life Magazine, 1967
    Experimental Study Comparing Magazine Audiences Alfred Politz Media

  46. The Case for Direct Questions on Reading Habits
    Paper that shows direct questions on reading habits can enable one to deal with problems inadequately handled
    by measuring reading behavior techniques, Journal of Advertising Research, J.M. Agostini – February 1964
    The Case for Direct Questions on Reading Habits Agostini

  47. A Study of Four Media - Alfred Politz Research - September 1, 1953
    Operational Design and Procedures Alfred Politz Research

This study investigated the audiences of four magazines: Ladies’ Home Journal, LIFE, Look and The Saturday Evening Post; one newspaper supplement, This Week; four radio programs: Amos ‘n’ Andy, Charlie McCarthy, Jack Benny and Lux Radio Theatre; and five television programs: Colgate Comedy Hour, Fireside Theatre, Red Skelton, Texaco Star Theatre and Your Show of Shows. For each of these media, the objectives were three-fold: 

  1. To show the kinds and number of people reached by a single or average issue, broadcast or telecast. 
  2. To show the kinds and number of people reached by a series of issues, broadcasts or telecasts. 
  3. To show how frequently people are reached and what kinds of people they are.