theSun | FRIDAY NOVEMBER 21 2008
media & marketing
by Angela Sargunan
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
ABOUT 350 senior executives
from various media agencies and
clients of theSun were given a
presentation of the key findings of
The Nielsen Company’s Malaysia
Prime 2008 study at the Sime
Darby Convention Centre, KL on
Tuesday.
Malaysia Prime 2008 had been
commissioned by theSun to study
media consumption habits of
higher income, affluent individuals
(personal income of over RM2,500)
in the Klang Valley.
It indicated quantitative
justification of theSun’s editorial
strength and columnist-pull with
a very strong image among its
mostly affluent readers, of whom
81% spend up to 30
minutes a day with
the paper on
weekdays.
More
than 70% of
respondents
had indicated
they read
theSun because
it is credible,
provides
Douglas explaining the
research methodology used
in the sample survey
theSun – Fabulous, friendly and free
thought-provoking, in-depth
analysis of news and issues which
reflect the concerns of discerning
Malaysians.
The paper is targeted to a niche
market – the affluent readers in
the Klang Valley, where theSun is
the first read of the day and has
“top of the mind recall”, especially
by the authorities, quipped acting
editor-in-chief Chong Cheng Hai in
his opening speech.
Using three “F-words”,
– fabulous, free and friendly – to
describe theSun, Chong said it
highlights important news and
strong diverse opinions ranging
from political, public interest to
human rights.
And in line with theSun’s
tagline – “Telling it as it is”
– readers can rest assured they
can obtain credible and truthful
content in a compact, easy-to-
read manner catered to busy
executives, he said.
“theSun not only offers
convenience by our daily
distribution at strategic
locations like offices, LRT
21
stations and 7-Eleven outlets, but After the presentation, Friends project director Caroline Raj.
readers who are unable to get Advertising chairman Shahar Nor “In this light, we can inform
a copy can also easily access its said: “It was very frank, honest and our clients that theSun is the right
website sun2surf.com to obtain the easy to understand. The research medium to target urbanites,” she
e-paper version,” he said. was well configured and tells the said, adding that people often have
Nielsen Media Research current and overall picture of the impression that everything that
executive director Andrea Douglas theSun.” is free is not so good, but theSun
then took the rostrum to tell “The presentation was also proves otherwise.
the guests about the research very authentic which had its own After the event, guests were
objectives and methodology and feel and style. Unlike many survey presented goodie bags with a copy
sampling frames used in the study. presentations, which are often dull of the research findings in a 2Gb
The study had a sample size and boring, theSun had its own thumbdrive.
of 888 respondents from top to staff to present its findings in a light Guests also had the opportunity
middle level managers in business, and easy manner,” he added. to mingle during lunch while
government and education as well “The survey showed that theSun perusing samples of theSun’s
as professionals living in the KL/PJ has high value from its concise creative capabilities, award
areas, who answered a 30-minute news which speaks for itself, winning reports, authoritative
online questionnaire, in February. and high circulation in the Klang editorials and influential
theSun marketing and Valley,” said Fox Communication columnists.
advertising manager Patrick Chin
spoke on the highlights of the
study’s findings. A key finding of
the study was that theSun had been
enjoying a pass-on readership rate
of 2.9 readers per copy (RPC). Rival
English dailies The Star and New
Straits Times have a RPC of 3.1 and
3.0 respectively.
theSun distribution channels
manager Joehari Abdul Jabbar,
who briefed the audience on the
paper’s distribution channels,
also revealed that the company is
planning to increase its print run to
300,000 copies in the near future,
from the current 275,000 .
theSun currently circulates
223,000 copies in the Klang Valley,
with 80,000 distributed in the Media agency representatives
Golden Triangle, where most of the and theSun advertisers ardently
urban readers are centred. listen to the survey findings.