ABC Regional Weeklies: July – December 2001
The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) has released regional newspaper figures for the period July to December 2001. The figures show that the Kent Messenger series appears to have reversed the downward trend seen in the preceding period, with a 20.1% year on year increase in circulation which makes it the top regional newspaper by circulation.
With most of the other titles in the top ten seeing only small year on year increases or decreases, the Kent Messenger series has moved some way ahead of its closest rivals- second placed West Briton series is now some 7,000 behind the leader with 51,291.
The heaviest loss suffered among the top ten titles by circulation was at the Surrey Advertiser series, which dropped 4.3% in circulation year on year.
| Top 10 Regional Newspapers By Circulation | ||||
| Title | Jul 00 – Dec 00 | Jul 01 – Dec 01 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Kent Messenger Series | 48,162 | 57,841 | 9,679 | 20.1 |
| West Briton Series | 50,785 | 51,291 | 506 | 1.0 |
| Essex Chronicle | 49,749 | 49,762 | 13 | 0.0 |
| Shropshire Weekly Series | 44,005 | 44,744 | 739 | 1.7 |
| Derbyshire Times | 41,943 | 42,592 | 649 | 1.5 |
| Western Gazette Series | 42,367 | 42,141 | -226 | -0.5 |
| Hereford Times | 42,216 | 41,839 | -377 | -0.9 |
| Surrey Advertiser Series | 43,445 | 41,597 | -1,848 | -4.3 |
| Barnsley Chronicle | 40,352 | 41,307 | 955 | 2.4 |
| Chester Chronicle Series | 39,867 | 41,184 | 1,317 | 3.3 |
| Source: ABC | ||||
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