Local media now reaches 40 million people across print and online a week, according to the latest data from JICREG.

The overall audience of the industry has risen strongly in the last year, fuelled by a growth in digital audiences for the industry, particularly on mobile

Local Media Works has updated its headline industry statistics to produce a snapshot of the industry for 2015.

The latest data from TGI shows that 28 million are heavy users of local media, accessing it at least four or five times a week through print or digital platforms.  

Forty-four per cent of ABC1s read a local paper and 65 per cent of local readers believe adverts in their local paper help them make decisions

Local press readers are bargain hunters. According to TGI, 5.4 million people turn to local media first when looking for a bargain.

Eighty-nine percent of local press readers look for food and drink promotions, 86 per cent look for household products, 85 per cent look for toiletries and 65 per cent look for multi buy offers on food and drink.   

Local Media Works chairman Blanche Sainsbury (pictured above) Local World commercial director, said: “These latest statistics confirm that the industry’s audiences continue to grow strongly and that local media remains a powerful action medium for advertisers across all its platforms.”