The ABC regional newspaper figures for the six months to December 2004 reveal a large number of declines amongst the top ten paid regional newspaper groups, with just two companies showing year on year growth.
Within the top ten, Celtic Newspapers Group managed to stave off negative growth towards the end of the year with an overall circulation increase of 1.3% year on year to 98,764, while the Alpha Newspaper Group claimed the top growth spot with a solid 20% increase year on year to 95,599.
The Sunday World – All Editions Group remains the market leader, with an overall circulation total of 268,380, despite a dip of 6% year on year in the six months to December. The group heads the table of paid regional newspaper groups with an overall circulation figure more than 100,000 higher than its nearest rival, Kent Messenger Weekly Newspaper Group.
| Top 10 Paid Regional Newspaper Groups By Circulation | ||||
| Title | Jul 03-Dec 03 | Jul 04-Dec 04 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Sunday World – All Editions Group | 285,503 | 268,380 | -17,123 | -6.0 |
| Kent Messenger Weekly Newspaper Group | 159,786 | 159,435 | -351 | -0.2 |
| West Midlands Express & Star Group | 163,543 | 157,783 | -5,760 | -3.5 |
| West Midlands Express & Star Group (Sat) | 165,121 | 157,677 | -7,444 | -4.5 |
| Archant North London | n/a | 155,872 | n/a | n/a |
| Cornish Weekly Newspapers Group | 117,512 | 113,061 | -4,451 | -3.8 |
| Essex County Newspaper Group | 105,802 | 105,362 | -440 | -0.4 |
| Celtic Newspapers Group | 97,464 | 98,764 | 1,300 | 1.3 |
| Alpha Newspaper Group | 79,669 | 95,599 | 15,930 | 20.0 |
| Chester Chronicle Group | 90,007 | 89,071 | -936 | -1.0 |
| Source: ABC | ||||
The nation’s top ten paid regional titles put in a poor performance towards the end of 2004, with only two titles avoiding circulation declines.
The Liverpool Echo on Saturday enjoyed the largest circulation increase of all, with a 2.7% rise year on year, pushing its total to 101,867, while fellow north of England title the Manchester Evening News on Saturday added 0.1% year on year to 101,652.
Elsewhere, Ireland On Sunday saw the largest decline in circulation in the group, shedding 10.2% of its total year on year in the six months to December, resting at 144,172. Rival Irish Sunday title the Sunday Independent (Eire) also saw a dip in its total, losing 0.4% in the same period, but retaining its position at the top of the table with a circulation of 291,323.
| Top 10 Paid Regional Newspaper Titles By Circulation | ||||
| Title | Jul 03-Dec 03 | Jul 04-Dec 04 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Sunday Independent (Eire) | 292,499 | 291,323 | -1,176 | -0.4 |
| West Midlands Express & Star – Saturday Edition | 155,055 | 149,241 | -5,814 | -3.7 |
| Sunday World – Republic Of Ireland Edition | 219,221 | 205,390 | -13,831 | -6.3 |
| Ireland On Sunday. | 160,493 | 144,172 | -16,321 | -10.2 |
| Manchester Evening News (Mon-Fri) | 153,125 | 141,737 | -11,388 | -7.4 |
| Liverpool Echo (Mon-Fri) | 135,845 | 129,681 | -6,164 | -4.5 |
| Irish Times (Dublin) | 115,502 | 114,528 | -974 | -0.8 |
| Liverpool Echo (Sat) | 99,228 | 101,867 | 2,639 | 2.7 |
| Manchester Evening News (Sat) | 101,595 | 101,652 | 57 | 0.1 |
| Irish Independent | 161,297 | 99,684 | -61,613 | -38.2 |
| Source: ABC | ||||
Amongst the top ten free regional newspaper groups only Newsquest Midlands South suffered a dip year on year.
Although minor, the company’s loss of 0.9% was enough to push it to ninth place in this category listing, with only Local Sunday Newspaper Full Group now beneath it.
Trinity Mirror Southern saw the largest circulation increase of all, dwarfing the competition and more than doubling its total with a 103.9% increase year on year. The company’s titles now command an overall total of 2.4 million, pushing the company ever closer to the top spot, currently held by Northcliffe Newspapers Group with a total of 2.6 million, up 2.5% in the same period.
Trinity has embarked on a series of regional title launches to further extend its business, concentrating most recently on the West Midlands area, and launching the Kenilworth Citizen and Solihull & Warwickshire Guardian.
The Kenilworth Citizen will reach over 9,000 homes in the Kenilworth area of the West Midlands, achieving penetration of 87% (see Trinity Mirror Launches 40th Midlands Newspaper), while the Solihull & Warwickshire Guardian will provide local residents with an intelligent round up of the week’s news every Thursday (see Trinity Targets Affluent Midlanders With Paid-For Weekly).
| Top 10 Free Regional Newspaper Groups By Circulation | ||||
| Title | Jul 03-Dec 03 | Jul 04-Dec 04 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Northcliffe Newspapers Group | 2,552,760 | 2,617,137 | 64,377 | 2.5 |
| Trinity Mirror Southern | 1,206,761 | 2,460,707 | 1,253,946 | 103.9 |
| Midland News Association Group | 605,585 | 621,233 | 15,648 | 2.6 |
| KM Extra Group (Kent) | 505,123 | 593,067 | 87,944 | 17.4 |
| Chronicle Newspapers Group | 485,775 | 501,623 | 15,848 | 3.3 |
| Observer Standard Newspapers Limited Group | 465,958 | 500,032 | 34,074 | 7.3 |
| Yellow Advertiser Series | 483,218 | 483,654 | 436 | 0.1 |
| Adscene Group | 361,440 | 364,874 | 3,434 | 1.0 |
| Newsquest Midlands South | 362,759 | 359,570 | -3,189 | -0.9 |
| Local Sunday Newspaper Full Group | 346,632 | 348,916 | 2,284 | 0.7 |
| Source: ABC | ||||
ABC: 01442 870 800 www.abc.org.uk
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