Market orientation in news media: How learning about and responding to readers and competitors impact success

Because of technological developments, it has become easier for media outlets and their actors to collect data, which facilitates the gaining of knowledge regarding customers and competitors. We apply market orientation theory and investigate through standardized interviews with high-level media representatives whether market-oriented news outlets are more successful in terms of circulation change. The results of this exploratory study show that dailies, which emphasize reader orientation and a swift reaction to competitors’ initiatives, are rewarded with success. For weeklies, the opposite is true. Rating means of researching the readership and responsiveness to the competition low is associated with an increase in circulation. These findings call for different media management strategies depending on the type of news outlet.