News Corp targets preschooler literacy with its 2020 Raise a Reader campaign
News Corp Australia has partnered with Good Start Early Learning Centres and the Australian Library and Information Service for its 2020 Raise a Reader campaign addressing preschooler literacy
The announcement:
Preschoolers will be the focus of News Corp Australia’s annual Raise a Reader campaign, which aims to encourage and inspire families to read with young children to boost literacy standards across the country.
In 2020, News Corp has partnered with Good Start Early Learning Centres and the Australian Library and Information Service to highlight the need to read with children from birth.
Over the coming weeks, the campaign — now in its fifth year and involving all News Corp metropolitan mastheads – will showcase the benefits of reading with children.
It will also amplify the preschool literacy programs managed by each of the state libraries across the country, including Victoria’s 1000 Books Before School Program, Queensland’s First Five Forever, as well as the Story Time programs in South Australia and NSW. At the same time, News Corp will release a 15-part collection of classic Australian storybooks to make reading with children more affordable and accessible for parents and grandparents.
News Corp Australia’s national education publisher Toni Hetherington said the Raise a Reader campaign reflected the company’s commitment to young readers and complemented the Kids News platform – the most popular ready-to-go literacy resource for teachers using daily news stories in the classroom.
“Our Raise a Reader campaign has traditionally focused on school-aged readers but with research showing the first five years of a child’s life are the most critical in establishing literacy skills, we have shifted our campaign focus to provide age-appropriate resources for preschoolers,” she said.
“We are delighted that Goodstart Early Learning – Australia’s largest early learning provider – has partnered with us to amplify the campaign to the more than 70,000 children at their 665 not-for-profit child care centres around Australia.”
Goodstart Early Learning CEO Julia Davison said: “Goodstart is proud to support the Great Australian Storybook Collection. Our vision is to give Australia’s children the best possible start in life, and we’re excited to share our passion for early literacy with Australia’s families.
“Evidence shows how important reading is for a child’s early communication and language development, and how a story a day can make all the difference. We were thrilled when News Corp approached us to partner with them on a campaign that so closely aligns with our purpose, and one that will help inspire the next generation of young readers.”
The campaign will include extensive editorial support and marketing investment across TV, Radio, Digital, Social Media, Press and newsagent point of sale activations across Australia.
Source: News Corp Australia media release
topics
Australian Library and Information Service
Good Start Early Learning Centre
News Corp Australia
Toni Hetherington
