A pair of studies on the readers of ethnically targeted newspapers affirms what many in the field have long claimed — mainstream newspapers are failing to reach this audience.

Dual studies conducted by Circulation Verification Council on both the Hispanic and African American newspaper markets appear to bear out this contention. According to a survey conducted among 15,000 readers of 110 African American community newspapers across the United States, 66 percent of readers cite their African American newspaper as their primary or only source for local news and community event information. In addition, only 12 percent of these readers subscribe to a daily newspaper.

Similarly, among 15,000 readers of 77 Hispanic community newspapers nationwide, 66 percent of readers cite their Hispanic newspaper as their primary or only source for local news and community event information, and only 14 percent subscribe to a daily newspaper.

The studies, which were conducted by Gemstone Communications Inc. and its subsidiary Ethnic Print Media Group (EPMG), which represents over 550 Hispanic and African American directed newspapers to advertisers, also touched on these readers shopping habits. Both studies found that these readers are inclined to respond to advertisers who embrace ethnic print.

In the Hispanic study, 79 percent of respondents said that they frequently purchase products or services as seen in their local Hispanic newspaper. Similarly, 72 percent of respondents in the African American indicated the same preference.

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