ABC Regional Newspapers: Jan-Jun 2004

The latest ABC regional newspaper figures for the six months to June 2004 open a mixed bag of results for the UK’s top ten paid regional newspaper groups, with the highest circulating publishers amongst the worst hit. The market leading Sunday World All Editions Group suffered a decline in combined circulation of 3.7% year on year to 268,328, while second placed West Midlands Express & Star Group‘s total circulation dipped by 3% to 164,430 in the same period.

Smaller newspaper publishers fared better, with North Herts Advertiser Group notching up an impressive 32.6% increase in its total circulation year on year to 104,455. The Rochdale Observer Group also made solid progress, adding 2.5% to its overall circulation during the same period to rest at 89,406. Only one of the smaller newspaper publishers saw a dip in combined circulation, with the Surrey Advertiser All Papers Group losing 10.9% to a total of 88,777. The circulation stumble sees the company drop to the bottom of the top ten, having previously occupied a respectable mid-table position.

A poor performance was put in across the board of the top ten paid regional newspaper titles, with not one managing to edge into circulation growth. Market leader, the Sunday World – Republic of Ireland Edition, suffered a 1.9% year on year dip, with circulation dropping to 206,010 but remaining in the top spot.

Fellow Irish title, the Dublin Evening Herald also suffered badly, losing 7.3% of its circulation during the same to 92,510. However, both losses were dwarfed by those of the Belfast Telegraph, the worst hit of all paid for regional titles, which lost 12.9% year on year to dip below the 100,000 mark at 94,602.

Free regional newspapers fared better than their paid for counterparts in the latest round of ABC results, with only the Midland Independent Weekly N/P Group and the Yellow Advertiser Series suffering declines in total circulation of 8.2% and 1.1% respectively.

Elsewhere, Observer Standard Newspapers Limited Group notched up the largest rise in combined circulation with a 37.1% rise year on year to 498,489. Trinity Mirror Southern also put in an impressive increase, climbing by 15.4% during the same period to maintain its second place position in the top ten with a total circulation of 1.42 million. Market leading Northcliffe Newspapers Group maintained its position in the top spot and saw its total circulation rise by 5.7% year on year to just under 2.63 million.

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