The latest ABC figures for the six months ended June 2007 show every one of the region’s daily papers suffering a fall in circulation although in Liverpool and Manchester these falls were counter balanced by further increases in free distribution.
All the UK’s major regionals saw falls in circulation.
Sales of the Liverpool Daily Post fell by 10.5% to 15,992 year on year while the MEN fell by 25.4% to 88,669. The Liverpool Echo fell by 6.9% to 113,126.
The Daily Post however increased the number of free papers it distributed during the period to 6,406 resulting in a total figure of over 22,000. Trinity management of the paper is keen to see the total figure remaining above 20,000. Mark Thomas, the Post’s editor said the free policy was helping to helping to ensure the paper was well read among younger ABC1 readers.
Dodson
The MEN’s ABC certified pick up distribution for June 2007 was 92,867 copies. The MEN’s total distribution of 181,536 means the MEN can still to be the UK’s largest regional daily newspaper.
Mark Dodson, chief executive of GMG Regional Media said: “We are pleased with the combined paid for and pick-up circulation for the MEN and our maintained position as the largest regional daily newspaper.
"When we took the decision to offer pick-up as well as paid for copies, we made a commitment to advertisers to aintain the readership of the paper. These latest figures show we have been able to honour that commitment, which is great news not just for M.E.N. Media but for our advertisers as well.”
The (Barrow) North West Evening Mail was the best performer in the region in terms of stemming declining sales with a drop of just 0.5% year on year. The paper’s editor Steve Brauner told How-Do that: "It's an excellent ABC performance and is due to a lot of hard work by staff in editorial and newspaper sales.
Brauner
"Of the four titles above us in the national league table for evening papers, three actually became morning papers last year and have had a bit of a sales bounce as a result of longer shelf life.
"In the first half of this year our website, www.nwemail.co.uk , has recorded a big year-on-year increase in unique users. Combined with stable newspaper sales, this means that the North-West Evening Mail's total audience is growing and advertisers are getting more bang for their buck."
Elsewhere The Bolton News and the Lancashire Telegraph recorded falls of 2.3% and 2.9% respectively while at the other end the Sentinel and the Oldham Chronicle saw falls of 8.3% and 7.7% respectively.
The actual ABC figures for the six months ending June 2007 were:
Paper (paid sales) June 2007 June 06 % decline
Daily Post – Liverpool 15,992 17,897 10.6 Barrow (NWEM) 19,369 19,472 0.5 The Bolton News 31,810 32,575 2.3 Carlisle News 23,822 24,838 Lancs Eve Post 33,013 35,028 5.8 Lancs Telegraph 32,488 33,469 2.9 Liverpool Echo 113,126 121,517 6.9 MEN 88,669 118,903 25.4 Oldham Eve Chronicle 22,104 23,957 7.7 The Sentinel 64,685 70,567 8.3 Wigan Eve Post 9,713 10,091 3.7 Daily Post Wales 36,327 38,661 6 Wrexham Leader 22,464 23,903 6
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