ABC Regional Newspapers: Jul-Dec 2009

The ABC has today released circulation data for regional newspapers, revealing declines for the majority of newspaper groups and individual titles.

The figures, for July to December 2009, show that the Nottingham & Long Eaton Topper had the largest circulation of the titles in our analysis, while the largest percentage increase was for the Sheffield Weekly Gazette.

While there were large percentage declines for some of the newspaper groups, Northcliffe Media South East Group had a pretty good six months.

Regional Newspaper Groups

Northcliffe Media South East Group was the only one of the top ten regional newspaper groups to record an increase in its total circulation, up 2% period on period to more than 506,000 copies.

MEN Weekly Free Newspapers Group managed to remain static period on period, however, with a total circulation of almost 675,000.

Earlier this month, Guardian Media Group sold its regional business, including MEN Media, to Trinity Mirror for £44.8 million.

There was a relatively small decline for Chronicle Newspapers Group, down 1% on the second half of 2008 to under 405,000.

Although Northcliffe Media Group – Free Titles remains the number one regional newspaper group by circulation, it suffered an 11% period on period fall, leaving its total at under two million.

There were also some pretty hefty circulation falls for Archant London Group and KM All Free Recruitment Group, down 18% and 12.2% respectively. Archant London Group now has a total circulation figure of under 262,000 copies, while KM All Free Recruitment Group’s is under 275,000.

Elsewhere, Midland News Association Group now has a total circulation of under 512,000 following a 3% period on period fall, while dips of 1.7% and 1.4% respectively give North East Press Ltd a circulation of around 218,000 and Echo Newspapers Free Newspaper Group a total of less than 207,000.

Regional Newspaper Titles

The Nottingham & Long Eaton Topper is the highest-selling regional newspaper in our analysis with a total circulation of almost 213,000 copies after a 0.1% period on period increase.

It was one of only three titles in the top ten to record an increase in its circulation in the six-month period from July to December 2009.

The Sheffield Weekly Gazette and the Edinburgh Herald & Post also enjoyed period on period rises, up by 0.8% and 0.5% respectively.

Sheffield Weekly Gazette‘s total now stands at nearly 131,000 copies, while the Edinburgh Herald & Post is up to more than 115,500 copies.

However, the Nottingham Recorder remains in second place with 151,000 copies, despite a 0.7% period on period drop.

The Wirral Globe, meanwhile,  suffered a 4.3% fall, to below 113,000 copies, while the Derby Express was down by an even higher 11% to under 101,000 copies.

The Coventry Times witnessed the highest percentage decline in our analysis, down by over 20% period on period to 88,700 copies.

The Milton Keynes Citizen shed 3.2% of its circulation over the six-month period, while the Liverpool Echo (Mon-Sat) was down by almost 4% period on period.

Milton Keynes Citizen‘s total has fallen to 94,600 copies, while the Liverpool Echo‘s is down to 88,500.