The latest ABC regional newspaper results, covering the January – June 2015 period, reveal a fairly static picture for newspaper groups, with just one recording a notable increase in circulation.
Up 6.4% year on year, Express & Star took its average circulation to a little over 72,000, while a 2.8% increase boosted Shropshire Weekly Series to 62,300.
With a circulation of almost 1.53 million, The National (Net) remains the best-performing newspaper group by far, and also improved its circulation by 1.5%.
Waypride Ltd’s Champion Series was the only group to see circulation slide, although the decline was marginal at just -0.3%.
In the top 10 regional newspaper titles, there were good results for Trinity Mirror’s Manchester Evening News and Bullivant Media’s Solihull Observer, which were up 10.3% and 9.8%, respectively; however, Trinity-owned titles Manchester Weekly News (-2.51%) and Liverpool Echo (-2.3%) were both down on the previous year.
The London Magazine recorded the largest decline in circulation, down -7.3%, while Express & Star (West Midlands) was down -6%.
| Title | Media Owner | June 2015 | PoP | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The National (Net) | The National | 1,503,380 | 1,525,445 | 1.47% |
| Midland News Association Group | Midland News Association | 331,292 | 331,745 | 0.14% |
| Trinity Mirror Regional Dailies (Group) | Trinity Mirror | 322,156 | n/a | n/a |
| Chronicle Newspapers Group | Express & Star Ltd | 290,739 | 291,099 | 0.12% |
| Champion Series | Waypride Ltd T/A Champion Newspapers | 163,630 | 163,120 | -0.31% |
| Trinity Mirror Regional Sundays (Group) | Trinity Mirror | 87,626 | n/a | n/a |
| Hertfordshire Mercury Group | Local World – Herts & Essex Newspapers | 70,840 | n/a | n/a |
| Express & Star – All Editions | Express & Star Ltd | 67,745 | 72,072 | 6.39% |
| Shropshire Weekly Series | Shropshire Newspapers Ltd | 60,610 | 62,302 | 2.79% |
ABC
| Title | Media Owner | June 2015 | PoP | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester Weekly News | Trinity Mirror plc | 256,541 | 250,112 | -2.51% |
| Champion | Champion Newspapers | 163,120 | 163,630 | 0.31% |
| East End Life | London Borough of Tower Hamlets | 82,279 | 82,345 | 0.08% |
| The London Magazine | Cedar Communications Limited | 78,741 | 72,987 | -7.31% |
| Express & Star (West Midlands) | The Midland News Association | 72,072 | 67,745 | -6.00% |
| Manchester Evening News | Trinity Mirror plc | 54,953 | 60,600 | 10.28% |
| Liverpool Echo | Trinity Mirror plc | 61,755 | 60,336 | -2.30% |
| Aberdeen – Press & Journal | D C Thomson & Co Ltd | 60,292 | 58,502 | -2.97% |
| Solihull Observer | Bullivant Media Limited | 52,893 | 58,080 | 9.81% |
| Dearne Valley Weekender | Garnett Dickinson Publishing Ltd | 55,406 | 53,932 | -2.66% |
ABC
