The 11 year-old Daily Observer is read, on average, by more people than its 171 year-old competitor, The Gleaner, reports the 2005 All Media Survey, released yesterday by the independent research company Media Research Services Limited (MRSL).

The last MRSL survey was in 2002 and, at that time the national morning daily readership share was Daily Observer 39.8 ; The Gleaner 60.2. The 2005 survey reports the share to have shifted heavily in the Daily Observer’s favour, reporting now Daily Observer 50.3; and The Gleaner 49.7.

“It is great news for us,” said Mark Pritchett, managing director of the Jamaica Observer Limited, “especially as the research shows the Daily Observer, published Monday to Saturday, ahead on every day of the week except Monday where the other paper is reported to have a slight edge.

“It is a tribute to all the hard work that has gone on at the Observer, in every department, over the years and good news for our advertisers. All I can say is a big thank you to our staff, our commercial customers and, above all, our readers. We are committed to going forward with vigour, skill, integrity and heart.”

Observer Chairman, Gordon Butch Stewart welcomed the news.

“This is a special moment for me and all the people who have contributed and supported the Observer, Stewart said. “When we started out with the vision of giving Jamaica a choice of national newspaper, many said it would not last beyond the early years. This research validates the vision and re-educates those prophets of doom.”

Sunday

The 2005 All Media Survey also reports The Sunday Observer to have gained 33 per cent more readers since the 2002 survey.

Pritchett commented: “Whilst this major gain is thrilling to behold, I think further qualitative investigation would be rewarding as quantitative analysis suggests the surge in readership to be predominately females between 25 and 44 years of age. It may have something to do with the Sunday Herald’s reported loss of 83,000 readers – over 60 per cent – since the last survey. Perhaps MRSL will offer comment in time ahead.”

* The MRSL 2005 All Media Survey interviewed 2,147 persons across Jamaica during March/April 2005 and has a set confidence interval of 95 per cent. Copies may be purchased by calling (876) 920-4262.