Stuff Group dominates in digital and print as masthead brands grow year on year

Stuff Group has cemented its role as the number one digital and premium print media organisation in New
Zealand, reaching 3.4 million Kiwis every month, with the latest Nielsen results positioning The Post as the country’s fastest growing national news brand. While stuff.co.nz’s audience has been on average more than 340,000 New Zealanders ahead of its nearest competitor over the past six months, Stuff Group’s Masthead Publishing division is also showing significant and rapid growth. Nielsen’s quarterly readership results out today show increases in year on year newspaper readership for The Post (+4.5%), The Press (+3.3%) and the Waikato Times (+27%), building on large digital subscription increases of more than 40%5 for each of the three titles.

Across digital and print, 812,000 New Zealanders now read The Post each month with three out of four readers from outside the Wellington region. Its digital audience has grown 31%4 over the past 12 months and readership of its premium print edition is influential: they are 40% more likely to own a business, have a household income 6% higher than the national average and almost half have a post-graduate or more
degree.

Managing Director of Stuff Masthead Publishing, Joanna Norris, says digital news subscriptions have continued to grow this year, even as the cost of living bites. “Kiwis value and trust quality journalism and The Post’s unique intersection of business, power and politics is driving its large national readership,” she says. “While most newspaper readerships decline, our major news brands have bucked that trend this quarter and their digital audiences are growing too. “These premium journalism digital and print products are where our commercial partners can see real
impact from connecting with audiences who value quality and have consumer dollars to spend.” Stuff’s lifestyle magazines also saw impressive year on year increases in today’s result: the country’s largest monthly magazine, NZ House & Garden, has a readership of 380,000 property-loving Kiwis, up 1.6% on a year ago.

Other results released today show:
● The Press digital and print readership at 721,000
● The Waikato Times digital and print readership at 439,000
● Sunday Star-Times print readership up 9.6% YOY

● New Zealand Gardener readership up 2.8% YOY to 255,000 highly engaged gardeners.

Stuff Group Owner and Publisher Sinead Boucher says the separation of the business into Stuff Digital (stuff.co.nz) and Masthead Publishing teams has delivered exciting momentum into each business through their focus on distinct audiences, revenue and growth strategies.
“Two and a half years on, the evidence is clear: separation has meant acceleration,” she says. “Both Stuff Digital and Masthead Publishing are performing with confidence and clarity, focusing on their strengths and allowing us to deliver scale and innovation as well as strong and loyal audiences. This adds huge value to our commercial partners as they seek new ways to engage in trusted, brand-safe environments.”

ENDS
1 Nielsen Online Ratings Jan-Jul 25 Base AP 15+
2 CMI Q3 24 - Q2 25 vs CMI Q3 23 - Q3 24 Average Issue Readership (AIR) Base AP 15+
3 CMI Q3 24 - Q2 25 Fused Jul 25 Monthly Print readership or Digital UA Base AP 15+
4 CMI Q3 24 - Q2 25 vs CMI Q3 23 - Q3 24 Monthly visitors to the Post website Base AP 15+
5 Stuff internal data sources
6 CMI Q3 24 - Q3 25 Base AP 15+
7 CMI Q3 24 - Q2 25 Fused Jul 25 Total Stuff Group includes Stuff Ltd digital custom rollup monthly UA, Monthly print readership of daily & community newspapers, newspaper inserted magazines and
premium magazine titles, Base AP 15+
 

About Stuff Group
Stuff Group is New Zealand’s largest and most dynamic digital, media and experiences business,
connecting with 3.4million Kiwis every month through quality journalism. Our mission is to have a tangible,
positive impact on the lives of all New Zealanders. In 2025 Stuff won Media Business of the Year (Beacon
Awards) and Digital News Provider of the Year (Voyager Awards).
Stuff Digital has unrivalled audience reach through New Zealand’s number one digital news site
stuff.co.nz, where more Kiwis visit more often and stay for longer. It is the platform partner for great Kiwi
creators and brands and its editorial team also delivers the daily ThreeNews 6pm broadcast.
Stuff Masthead Publishing reaches New Zealanders across the country through national and local
subscription sites, large-scale events and premium print. Its subscriber-led brands include The Post, The
Press, Waikato Times and the Sunday Star-Times; NZ Farmer and lifestyle magazines including NZ House
& Garden and New Zealand Gardener. Stuff Events owns and delivers the national Round The Bays series
and Central District Fieldays. Neighbourly is New Zealand’s homegrown social network.
Find out more at advertise.stuff.co.nz