World Press Trends: Newspaper circulation, advertising increases

Newspaper circulations worldwide rose slightly in 2005 while newspaper advertising revenues showed the largest increase in four years, the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) announced Monday. WAN said global newspaper sales were up 0.56 per cent over the year, and had increased 6 per cent over the past five years. Much of the sales growth last year was again in Asia.

When free dailies are added to the paid newspaper circulation, global circulation increased 1.21 per cent last year, and 7.8 per cent over the past five years. Free dailies now account for 6 per cent of all global newspaper circulation and 17 per cent in Europe alone. Advertising revenues in paid dailies were up 5.7 per cent last year from a year earlier, and up 11.7 per cent over five years, WAN said. No figures were available for free daily advertising revenues.

"Overall, the audience for newspapers keeps on growing, both in print and online," said Timothy Balding, Chief Executive Officer of the Paris-based WAN. "Newspapers are increasing their reach through the exploitation of a wide range of new distribution channels, ranging from daily free newspapers to online editions. They are proving to be incredibly resilient against the onslaught of a wide range of media competition."

The new data, from WAN's annual survey of world press trends, was released to more than 1,700 publishers, editors and other senior newspaper executives from 110 countries attending the 59th World Newspaper Congress and 13th World Editors Forum in Moscow, Russia.

Siginificant trends:

Paid circulation grew 0.56 per cent worldwide in 2005 from a year earlier, taking global sales to a new high of 439 million daily. With free dailies added, daily circulation increases to 464 million, a 1.21 per cent increase from the total of paid and free dailies in 2004.
The total number of paid-for daily titles was down 0.3 per cent in the world in 2005 and up 8.1 per cent since 2001. The total number of paid and free titles increased by 0.06 per cent in 2005 and by 8.9 per cent since 2001.
2005 saw the best advertising performance in four years, with a revenue increase of 5.7 per cent.
The audience for newspaper web sites continued to grow and was up by 8.71 per cent in 2005 and 200 per cent over the past five years.

The survey, which WAN has published annually since 1986, this year includes

information on all countries and territories where newspapers are published – 216.

The 2006 World Press Trends report reveals:

On circulation

Paid daily newspaper circulations were up in 35 per cent of the countries surveyed in 2005. Over the past five years, newspaper circulations were up in 28 per cent of the countries surveyed. For non-dailies, 54 per cent of the countries reports year-on-year increases, while 36 per cent reported increases in Sunday circulations.
More than 439 million people buy a newspaper every day, up from 414 million in 2001. Average readership is estimated to be more than one billion people each day.
Seven of 10 of the world's 100 best selling dailies are now published in Asia. China, Japan and India account for 62 of them.
The five largest markets for newspapers are: China, with 96.6 million copies sold daily; India, with 78.7 million copies daily; Japan, with 69.7 million copies daily; the United States, with 53.3 million; and Germany, 21.5 million. Sales increased in China and India and declined in Japan, United States and Germany in 2005.
Circulation sales were up 1.7 per cent in Asia in 2005 over the previous year, up 3.7 per cent in South America, up 0.2 per cent in Africa, down 0.24 per cent in Europe, down 2.5 per cent in North America and down 2 per cent in Australia and Oceania. The North American declines were primarily in evening newspapers.
Daily paid newspapers in the European Union saw a 0.61 per cent drop in circulation in 2005, and 5.26 per cent over five years. When free dailies are added, year-on-year circulation increased 1.34 per cent and five-year circulation grew 0.05 per cent.
Newspapers in seven European Union countries increased their total circulation in 2005. They were: Austria 0.42 per cent, Czech Republic 4.88 per cent, Ireland 2.16 per cent, Italy 0.03 per cent, Poland 9.80 per cent, Slovenia 19.44 per cent, and the United Kingdom, 0.05 per cent.
Those reporting losses were: Belgium 1.35, Denmark 2.64, Estonia 0.39, Finland 0.67, France 1.6, Germany 2.5, Greece 4.05, Hungary 0.68, Latvia 2.25, The Netherlands 3.67, Portugal 3.88, Slovakia 4.17, Spain 0.94, and Sweden 1.34.
Over the five years 2001-2005, circulation rose in five countries: Austria 0.09 per cent, Czech Republic 0.87 per cent, Ireland 28.91 per cent, Latvia 1.46 per cent, and Poland 21.63 per cent.
In the same period, circulation declined in: Belgium 4.25 per cent, Denmark 11.4 per cent; Estonia 0.78 per cent; Finland 2.99 per cent; France 7.38 per cent; Germany 9.63 per cent; Greece 11.62 per cent; Hungary 12.31 per cent; Italy 5.25 per cent; Netherlands 10.58 per cent; Slovakia 8.55 per cent; Spain 1.73 per cent; Sweden 2.23 per cent and the United Kingdom 9.85 per cent.
Elsewhere in Europe, circulation in 2005 increased 11.92 per cent in Turkey and 7.59 per cent in Croatia. It declined 2.78 per cent in Norway, and 3.26 per cent in Switzerland.
Over five years, the decline was 7.48 per cent in Norway, 8.69 per cent in Switzerland and 16.63 per cent in Croatia, while it climbed 52.48 per cent in Turkey.
The circulation of US dailies fell 2.35 per cent in 2005 and 4.02 per cent over five years. Most of the decline came in evening dailies, which saw a year-on-year circulation decline of 6.6 per cent, compared to only 1.6 per cent for morning dailies. Over the past five years, evening dailies declined 17.5 per cent, compared to a 1.4 per cent drop for morning newspapers.
In Japan, newspaper sales fell by 0.97 per cent in 2005. Over five years, sales were down 2.81 per cent.
China newspaper sales continue to perform well, up 8.9 and 18 per cent over one and five years.
In Russia, the number of daily titles grew: from 485 in 2004 to 491 in 2005, an increase of 1.2 per cent. No reliable circulation figures exists for the Russian press as a whole.
In Latin America, where it has been difficult to obtain reliable data, Brazilian newspaper sales were up 4.09 per cent in 2005 but down 11.4 per cent over five years. Chile reported sales increases of 0.33 per cent last year.
Indian newspaper sales increased 7 per cent in 2005 and 33 per cent in the five-year period.
Elsewhere in Asia, sales in Singapore were down 0.2 per cent last year and down -3.9 per cent over five years, and Malaysian sales were up 5.44 per cent year-on-year and 14.63 per cent over five years.
Australia recorded a decline of 2.23 per cent in sales in 2005, while New Zealand newspaper sales were down 1.35 year-on-year and down 4.58 per cent over five years.
The Japanese have surpassed the Norwegians as the world's greatest newspaper buyers, with 634 daily sales per thousand adults in Japan and 626 per thousand in Norway. Finland comes next with 518 followed by Sweden with 481.
The Belgians spend the most time with their newspapers – 54 minutes a day – followed by Ukrainians, 50 minutes, and Canadians, 49 minutes.

On new titles

The total number of paid daily titles was down 0.3 per cent in the world in 2005 and up 8.1 per cent since 2001, taking the total to nearly 7,700 dailies. When free dailies are added, the number of titles increase 0.06 per cent year-on-year, to 7,862, and 8.9 per cent for five years.
The number of paid daily titles was up 4.5 per cent in Africa, 1.4 per cent in South America, and 1.2 per cent in Australia and Oceania. The number of titles declined 1.2 per cent in Europe, 0.4 per cent in North America. and 0.3 per cent in Asia.

On advertising

Global newspaper advertising revenues saw their biggest increase in four years and were up 5.7 per cent in 2005, following a 5.28 per cent increase in 2004.
Newspapers share of the world ad market held relatively steady with 30.2 per cent, marginally down from 30.3 per cent in 2004. Newspapers remain the world's second largest advertising medium, after television, and are expected to retain this position for many years.
Twenty-one countries saw newspaper advertising market share growth in 2005: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Finland, Germany, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Lithuania, Malaysia, Panama, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
Over five years, newspapers in 24 countries and territories saw increased market share: Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Greece, Iceland, India, Ireland, Japan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Myanmar, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russia and Slovenia.
Newspaper advertising revenues in the US, by far the largest newspaper advertising market in the world, increased by 1.51 per cent in 2005 and 7 per cent over the last five years.
In Japan, ad expenditures declined in 2005 by 1.7 per cent after showing positive growth in 2004 after three years of decline.
China saw increase in advertising revenues of 19 per cent last year, and 128 per cent over five years.
Newspaper markets in the European Union saw a 4.15 per cent increase in newspaper advertising revenues in 2005, and a 37.3 per cent increase over five years.
Thirteen of 17 countries for which data was available showed increases in advertising revenue in 2005: Belgium 11.5 per cent, Czech Republic 6.38 per cent, Denmark 9.45 per cent, Estonia 17.86 per cent, Finland 1.57 per cent, France 0.89 per cent, Hungary 6.79 per cent, Ireland 12.35 per cent, Italy 1.98 per cent, Latvia 9.45 per cent, Poland 4.36 per cent, Spain 6.93, and Sweden 5.6 per cent,
Newspaper advertising revenue declined in Greece (1.92 per cent), Lithuania (7.04 per cent), Netherlands (1.6 per cent), and the United Kingdom (3.08 per cent).
Over five years, advertising revenues were up in 10 of the countries for which data was available: the Czech Republic 48.99 per cent, Denmark 6.09 per cent, Estonia 47.32 per cent, Finland 4.64 per cent, Greece 18.05 per cent, Hungary 39.3 per cent, Latvia 43.3 per cent, Lithuania 29.41 per cent, Netherlands 20 per cent, and Poland 92.8 per cent,
Advertising revenues declined in the five-year period in four EU countries for which data was available; France 4.66, Italy 3.1 per cent, Sweden 0.41 per cent, and the United Kingdom 2.5 per cent.
In Russia, advertising revenues for all print media increased 16 per cent in 2005.
In India, newspaper advertising revenues increased 23.18 per cent over one year and 107.69 per cent over the last five. South Africa also saw remarkable gains – 20.71 per cent over one year and 232.23 per cent over five years. Turkey's percentage gains were even higher -- 39.14 per cent in 2005 and 236.61 per cent over the past five years.
In Australia revenues were up 8.14 per cent over one year and 10.46 per cent over five years.

Internet

Newspaper online consumption rose 8.71 per cent in 2005, and 200 per cent over the past five years.
Internet advertising revenues continue to grow rapidly, and were up 24 per cent in 2005, the highest growth for five years.
The number of newspaper websites increased by 20 per cent in 2005.

Free dailies

A total of 169 free daily newspapers had a combined circulation of 27.9 million daily, with 18.6 million of those copies distributed in Europe.
The size of the free daily market in several countries is impressive: in Spain, free daily distribution represents a huge 51 per cent of the market; in Portugal 33 per cent; in Denmark 32 per cent, and in Italy, 29 per cent.

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