Just a ballpark figure.

The majority of any city's population is composed of non-business owners.

Subtract the children and retirees, and you still are likely to reach more "employees" thans owners and managers.

Consider that one restaraunt employs over 100 people. The management side of the equation is small compared to the number of cooks, wait staff, bus boys, diswashers, greeters, etc. If you are targeting those who buy for a restaraunt, the newspaper will reach far more among the non-management types.

The daily newspaper is aimed at the general adult population of the market. Beyond the owners, managers, and their executive assistants are many more who aren't involved in the buying and decision making processes.

Consider the largest volume of ads in any daily city newspaper, and you'll realize that the ads lean heavily in favor of the retail buyer. Grocery ad inserts, automotive and real estate ads dominate the classifieds, with another large chunk being "Help Wanted". Most of the rest are smaller ads for retail businesses, insurance and financial planners, etc.

Look for ads for commercial printers, copier sales and services, commercial janitorial services, etc, and others targeting business owners - They are probably in a one to two page section of "bio" ads. Each business pays for their ad to run weekly, then is featured with a write-up on their business every 6 to 26 weeks or whatever the rotation is used.

Most daily newspapers only have a business section one or at most two days pers week, unless you are including the Wall Street Journal in the category.

Newspaper is classified as a "mass media" and as such, they are primarily targeted to and at the masses. The leadership/management in all but micro businesses will always have the vast majority of employees in non-management positions.

If you want to reach the managers at Wal-Mart, the local Ford dealer, or the owners of the top 5 print shops in town, mass media is not the best vehicle. For business owners and managers, the newsletter of the local Chamber will reach a much higher percentage of business people, at a much lower cost.

Newspapers will always be mass media, while business management will be in the minority of the population.

Not a hard and fast statistic, just an opinion of one who has been in media for over 22 years.

Dennis Bevers