A Target Group Index (TGI) consumers-and-media analysis organization survey released Thursday reveals that the Yisrael Hayom newspaper continues to lead in the number of weekday readers and overtook the Yediot Aharonot newspaper for the first time among weekend readers. However, the margin between the two newspapers with regard to weekend readers was not statistically significant.
During the half-year period between January-June 2017, Yisrael Hayom led in the number of weekday readers, garnering 36.7% as opposed to 38.6% in July-December 2016, (a statistically insignificant drop in readership). During the same period, Yediot Aharonot readership stood at 32.5% as opposed to 33.9% in July-December 2016 (a statistically insignificant drop in readership.)
On an annual level,Yisrael Hayom continues to hold a significant lead, garnering 37.6% in the last year as opposed to Yediot Aharonot's 33.2%.
On weekends, during the half-year period between January and June 2017, Yisrael Hayom for the first time is leading with a 34.6% readership during this period compared with 37.2% in July-December 2016. Despite this reduction, Yediot Aharonot registered a 34.1% readership during the same period compared with 38% during the July-December 2016 period.
The survey reveals that the Besheva weekly newspaper maintained its position and registered a slight increase over the previous half-year period, reaching 6.2% readership. The newspaper remains with the third largest readership on weekends after Yediot Aharonot, which still leads on annual readership (36.1%) and Yisrael Hayom (35.9%). Besheva leads Maariv's weekend newspaper Sofshavua (6.1%) and Makor Rishon (3.7%). Both Yisrael Hayom and Besheva are freebies.
The difference between Yediot Aharonot and Yisrael Hayom's annual weekend readership is not statistically significant. Yediot Aharonot registered 36.1% between July 2016-June 2017 (compared with 38.7% in the previous year, a significant decrease) while Yisrael Hayom registered 35.9% in July 2016-June 2017, as opposed to 37.1% in the previous year, not a significant decrease.)
Besheva editor-in-chief Immanuel Shilo declared that "we are happy with the slight increase compared with the previous half-year period, and in particular that Beshevacontinues to be the number 3 newspaper in Israel and the number 1 newspaper for the religious public. We will continue to strive for excellence, rejuvenate and innovate for the benefit of our readers."
Besheva CEO Dudu Sa'ada said that "we are making many changes during this period in the distribution of 103,000 newspapers around the entire country, from Kiryat Shmona to Eilat and in all the communities in Judea and Samaria. We are happy to continue to be the third largest weekend newspaper in the country."