NZ Herald's daily audience hits 1 million

The Weekend Herald and Herald on Sunday have enjoyed year-on-year newspaper readership growth, according to the latest Nielsen survey. Picture / Jason Oxenham.

The New Zealand Herald's daily audience has hit one million for the first time across its print and digital titles, according to the latest Nielsen survey.

The Herald on Sunday, which remains the country's best read Sunday newspaper, and the Weekend Herald both enjoyed year-on-year readership growth.

The Weekend Herald is read by 477,000 people, up 8000 on a year ago.

And the Herald on Sunday is read by 341,000 - up 25,000 in the past 12 months. The publication has grown its audience for the past five consecutive quarters.

In the regions, the Northern Advocate and the Bay of Plenty Times, also owned by Herald publisher NZME, have also both seen their numbers of readers grow on a typical day.

Readership of several weekly magazines published by the Herald daily newspaper, which typically reaches 420,000 people aged 15 and above every day, also grew. Travel, published on a Tuesday, is read by 272,000 people, up 6000. Sunday Travel added 12,000 readers and now is read by 213,000 people.

Friday's The Business magazine, has also grown audience and is read by 249,000 people.

Combined with its website, the Herald's daily audience has hit more than 1 million for the first time.

The Herald website reached a unique audience of 2 million in September, and 1.95 million in October.

NZME managing editor Shayne Currie says audiences were engaging with a wide range of indepth journalism and investigative reporting and new forms of storytelling.

"We have a fantastic team of editors who do an outstanding job leading their teams to provide engaging, entertaining and inspiring content," Currie said.

"It's been a huge news year with the general election, the coalition negotiations and major sports events such as the America's Cup and Lions Tour. As well as superb, indepth coverage of these events, the Herald and NZME teams have also set the agenda with a wide-range of exclusives across news, sport, business and entertainment."

NZME acting chief commercial officer Matt Headland says the strong readership gives advertisers more choice.

"To see an increase in readership in our inserted magazines, as well as an increase in our daily and weekly brand audiences, is great news for advertisers," Headland said.