Free dailies show minor differences

<p>SINGAPORE: A MindShare report looking into the readership of </p><p>Singapore's two new freely-distributed dailies Streats and Today has </p><p>intensified the rivalry between their respective publishers - Singapore </p><p>Press Holdings (SPH) and Media Corp Press. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>MindShare conducted an observation-based study in December. The media </p><p>agency followed this up with on-the-spot interviews with 805 train </p><p>commuters in January to determine which was the more popular paper. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But it found little reader loyalty to separate the two papers. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>According to its survey, 44 per cent of respondents read both </p><p>publications, 37 per cent only read Streats and 19 per cent only read </p><p>Today. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Both publications are available in the morning but usually run out by </p><p>9am. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>According to the report, Streats runs out earlier than Today possibly </p><p>because SPH has people handing out Streats instead of relying solely on </p><p>dispensers. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>SPH's English language daily The Straits Times reported the findings </p><p>much to the chagrin of Today's publisher. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The latter followed up with an editorial and "letter to the editor". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Today claimed the report was "not strictly objective" and the results </p><p>were skewed because MindShare only interviewed people at train stations, </p><p>failing to take into account that Today is also available from Shell </p><p>petrol stations. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>MindShare conducted the survey as both titles have yet to release their </p><p>readership data since launching late last year, according to Manpreet </p><p>Singh, the agency's general manager. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Streats has a circulation of about 200,000 copies and Today has 220,000, </p><p>according to statements from their publishers. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>