FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Boston, September 5, 2007 — Readership of the Boston Phoenix reached an all-time high for a second consecutive year, growing 8 percent over the past year to well over half a million readers, according to the most recent survey by The Media Audit. The Media Audit — an independent, multimedia, qualitative audience survey widely used by the advertising and publishing industries — places Phoenix readership cume at 549,800, a growth of nearly 50,000 readers over the past year. To arrive at its results, The Media Audit conducts extensive surveys, based on 450 questions about readership habits and consumer preferences.

“It’s worth noting that the addition of editor Lance Gould has given the paper a new feel; very in-touch with what Boston readers are looking for,” says Peter Kadzis, Phoenix executive editor.

Brad Mindich, president of The Phoenix Media/Communications Group, added: “This is really exciting for all of us, especially because this growth has occurred during a time of decline in the traditional newspaper market. To show not just growth, but consistent growth year after year is just extraordinary and shows the unparalleled commitment and talent of everyone here at the Phoenix.”

The latest readership numbers also reinforce the Phoenix‘s place as one of the nation’s most-read alternative weeklies. As the national trend in the past five years is a decline in overall newspaper readership, a year-over-year increase of 8 percent underscores the Phoenix‘s ability not only to provide editorial content that is in-line with what its readers are looking for, but also to market and distribute itself efficiently and successfully throughout Greater Boston.

The Boston Phoenix, founded in 1966, is published each Thursday and distributed free in more than 1600 sidewalk and store locations. The Boston Phoenix is part of the Phoenix Media/Communications Group, which includes editions of the Phoenix in Boston, Providence (RI), and Portland (ME), as well as FNX Radio Network, Mass Web Printing, stuff@night, People2People Group, g8wave mobile media, and thePhoenix.com.

Contact:
Brian Appel
The Boston Phoenix
126 Brookline Ave
Boston, MA 02215
617-450-8765
bappel (at) phx.com