Trinity Mirror Heads Regional Press League
Trinity Mirror is now the largest regional publisher in the UK, according to the latest figures from the Newspaper Society. Weekly circulation figures for the group, which merged last year (see Trinity And Mirror Seal Merger In £2bn Deal), are now almost double the size of the second player in the regional press league, Northcliffe Newspapers.
The inclusion of the London Evening Standard as a regional paper has allowed Associated Newspapers to enter the league in fifth position.
The largest 20 publishers account for 78% of all regional press titles and 94% of total weekly circulation, compared with 78% and 92% respectively as at 1 July 1999 (see Trinity Remains Top Of Regional Publishers League). Since that date the total number of regional newspaper publishers has fallen, as a result of mergers and takeovers, from 119 to 115.
Next month the Newspaper Society, which represents regional titles in the UK, is to launch a manifesto of commitments on national advertising in an attempt to improve the image and strength of the regional press as a medium for national advertisers.
| Top 20 Regional Press Publishers | |||||||||||
| 1 January 2000 | |||||||||||
| Based on total weekly circulation of regional and local newspapers published at least weekly and listed on the Newspaper Society database; Audited circulations only | |||||||||||
| Rank | Group Name | Total | Dailies | Sundays Paid & Free | Weekly Paid | Weekly Free | |||||
| Titles | Wkly circ | Titles | Wkly circ | Titles | Wkly Circ | Titles | Wkly circ | Titles | Wkly circ | ||
| 1 | Trinity Mirror Plc | 165 | 15,461,801 | 16 | 9,245,634 | 7 | 1,048,576 | 52 | 811,018 | 90 | 4,356,573 |
| 2 | Northcliffe Newspapers Group Ltd | 65 | 8,488,250 | 17 | 6,134,454 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 370,595 | 33 | 1,983,201 |
| 3 | Newsquest Media Group Plc | 130 | 7,596,153 | 11 | 2,678,539 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 550,823 | 80 | 4,366,791 |
| 4 | Johnston Press Plc | 168 | 6,033,086 | 9 | 1,884,818 | 1 | 90,622 | 81 | 1,174,902 | 77 | 2,882,744 |
| 5 | Associated Newspapers Ltd | 4 | 3,873,450 | 4 | 3,873,450 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Regional Independent Media | 34 | 3,503,039 | 5 | 2,279,514 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 229,300 | 15 | 994,225 |
| 7 | Guardian Media Group Plc | 37 | 2,838,360 | 3 | 1,201,063 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 261,590 | 20 | 1,375,707 |
| 8 | Newscom Plc | 61 | 2,667,304 | 4 | 941,478 | 1 | 36,293 | 22 | 306,344 | 34 | 1,383,189 |
| 9 | Eastern Counties Newspapers Group Ltd | 52 | 2,632,886 | 4 | 1,141,086 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 253,697 | 33 | 1,238,103 |
| 10 | Southnews Plc | 52 | 2,542,598 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 166,174 | 43 | 2,376,424 |
| 11 | Midland News Assoc Ltd | 20 | 2,256,747 | 2 | 1,659,900 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 43,700 | 14 | 553,147 |
| 12 | Bristol United Press Plc | 14 | 1,480,356 | 3 | 932,532 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 162,177 | 8 | 385,647 |
| 13 | D C Thomson & Co Ltd | 3 | 1,468,585 | 2 | 759,072 | 1 | 709,513 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Scottish Media Ltd | 3 | 1,363,226 | 2 | 1,305,390 | 1 | 57,836 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Scotsman Publications Ltd | 6 | 1,358,419 | 2 | 954,984 | 1 | 120,644 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 282,791 |
| 16 | Adscene Group Ltd | 34 | 902,310 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 148,458 | 18 | 753,852 |
| 17 | Yattendon Investment Trust Plc | 21 | 864,206 | 2 | 359,778 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 112,478 | 13 | 391,950 |
| 18 | Kent Messenger Group Ltd | 18 | 767,348 | 1 | 106,190 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 118,099 | 11 | 543,059 |
| 19 | Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd | 26 | 702,220 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 120,661 | 15 | 581,559 |
| 20 | Cumbrian Newspapers Group Ltd | 9 | 501,967 | 2 | 279,654 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 92,240 | 3 | 130,073 |
| Top 20 Regional Press Publishers | 922 | 67,302,311 | 89 | 35,737,536 | 12 | 2,063,484 | 311 | 4,922,256 | 510 | 24,579,035 | |
| Other Regional Press Publishers (95) | 180 | 4,619,878 | 7 | 1,004,509 | 6 | 317,345 | 110 | 1,112,616 | 57 | 2,185,408 | |
| Total Regional Press Publishers (115) | 1,102 | 71,922,189 | 96 | 36,742,045 | 18 | 2,380,829 | 421 | 6,034,872 | 567 | 26,764,443 | |
| Publishers of unaudited regional titles | 77 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 0 | 26 | 0 | |
| Total Regional Press Titles | 1,179 | 71,922,189 | 96 | 36,742,045 | 19 | 2,380,829 | 471 | 6,034,872 | 593 | 26,764,443 | |
| Source: Newspaper Society Intelligence unit 01 January 2000, ABC/VFD/Independent audit figures | |||||||||||
| Titles’ relates to buying points on the Newspaper Society database | |||||||||||
| Note: Includes London Evening Standard, Daily Record, Sunday Post and Sunday Mail also defined as regional newspapers in the Competition Commission Report on the proposed merger of Trinity Plc and Mirror Group. | |||||||||||
| The Metros London, North West, Scotland and West Midlands and Manchester Metronews are included, but only London Metro currently has an audited circulation figure. | |||||||||||
| Excludes circulation figures for Birmingham Post, Evening Mail and Sunday Mail which are currently unaudited. | |||||||||||
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