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August 27, 2014updated 28 Aug 2014 2:59pm

UK regional dailies/Sundays lose print sales at 13.5 per cent year on year with Newsquest biggest fallers

By Dominic Ponsford

The 75 UK regional daily and Sunday newspapers listed by ABC in its data lost sales by an average of 13.5 per cent year on year in the first half of 2014.

The biggest faller was a Newsquest title for the third period in a row. This time the title losing sales at the fastest rate was the South Wales Argus, down 33.2 per cent year on year to an average of 13,197 sales a day.

The dramatic sales drop for the Argus follows a 44 per cent price increase from 45p to 65p.

Trinity Mirror’s Wales on Sunday also saw a substantial drop, down 27.3 per cent year on year to 15,655.

Most of the other titles to lose print sales at rate of more than 20 per cent per year were published by Newquest: the Swindon Advertiser, Oxford Mail, Worcester News, Bolton News and Lancashire Telegraph.

All the Newsquest titles have had to deal with the effects of large price increases. The Swindon, Oxford and Worcester titles have all all seen price rises from 45p to 65p over the last year.

The Doncaster Star, published by Johnston Press, is an edition of the Sheffield Star and fell 28.8 per cent to just over 1,000 copies a day.

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The overall rate of print decline for the regional daily and Sundays is in line with the 14 per cent year on year drop seen in the second half of 2013, but faster than the 10.5 per cent year on year drop of a year ago.

The overall picture appears to be one where publishers are hastening inevitable print sales decline through policies of increasing print prices while funneling editorial resources towards free websites.

The success of the Evening Standard shows that a free daily print newspaper can still prove extremely popular, with distribution up 27 per cent to just over 890,000 copies a day.

The new Sunday edition of the Liverpool Echo, launched by the Trinity Mirror title in February, saw an average circulation in June of 21,673 (compared with a launch ABC of 21,673).

The only regional daily/Sunday to grow sales year on years was the Sunday Herald, up 1 per cent year on year to an average of 25,125 copies a week (with a cover price of £1.30). The Herald does not have a free website limits free access to six articles per month. It claims to have more than 10,000 paying online subscribers.

The Sunday Herald became the first Scottish newspaper to back the Yes campaign on independence at the beginning of May.

Although print sales of The Herald were down 8 per cent year on year to just over 37,000 per day, total Herald group paid-for readership was said to be up.

Herald and Times managing director Tim Blott said: “We place our readers at the heart of our development strategy and will continue to provide news and content through whichever platforms they prefer.

“What is interesting to note is that, despite a tendency by the media to report with alacrity, stories of its own demise, we at Herald & Times Group are seeing a significant  increase in paid readership overall”.

UK regional daily/Sunday newspaper sales in first half of 2014 (ABC)

Ranked by average circulation 



Title Avg circ % change y/y
London Evening Standard (free) 890,457 27.20%
Manchester Evening News (55.2 % paidfor) 70,458 -1.70%
Liverpool Echo 62,422 -14.70%
Birmingham Mail (77.7 % paid for) 36,694 -10.80%
Newcastle Chronicle 35,796 -13.10%
Scotland on Sunday 30,297 -19.00%
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Sunday Sun 30,214 -17.50%
Teesside Evening Gazette 26,845 -14.90%
Daily Post (Wales) 26,348 -4.90%
Sunday Herald 25,125 1.00%
Sunday Mercury 24,282 -18.40%
Coventry Telegraph 23,169 -12.90%
Wales – The Western Mail 21,911 -7.20%
Liverpool Sunday Echo 21,673  
Cardiff – South Wales Echo 21,370 -17.60%
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Journal 17,396 -12.70%
Wales on Sunday 15,655 -27.30%
Huddersfield Daily Examiner 15,302 -10.60%
Express & Star (West Midlands) 77387 -14.60%
Aberdeen – Press & Journal 62177 -5.10%
Dundee Courier & Advertiser 48955 -6.50%
Belfast Telegraph (77 % paid for) 48014 -2.50%
Norwich – Eastern Daily Press 42632 -9.70%
Irish News – Morning 39935 -2.20%
The Herald 37728 -8.10%
The Sentinel 37481 -10.50%
Shropshire Star 36756 -14.70%
Hull Daily Mail 35117 -8.30%
Leicester Mercury 35006 -12.90%
Aberdeen – Evening Express 34894 -9.20%
Glasgow – Evening Times 33397 -14.90%
Leeds – Yorkshire Post 31022 -9.20%
Darlington – The Northern Echo 30735 -12.70%
South Wales Evening Post 28477 -14.90%
Portsmouth – News & Sports Mail 27954 -8.60%
The Scotsman 27208 -13.20%
Edinburgh – Evening News 25908 -14.10%
Derby Telegraph 25217 -9.10%
The Post 25182 -14.60%
Sunday Herald 25125 1.00%
Leeds – Yorkshire Evening Post 23959 -17.20%
Nottingham Post 23533 -13.10%
Sheffield Star 23238 -17.20%
Southend – Basildon – Castle Point – Echo 22961 -14.00%
Southampton – Southern Daily Echo 22397 -16.60%
Plymouth – The Herald 21783 -13.50%
Ipswich – East Anglian Daily Times 20664 -8.80%
Sunderland Echo & Football Echo 20530 -17.90%
Dundee Evening Telegraph 19766 -4.70%
York – The Press 19643 -10.90%
Ulster – News Letter 19314 -6.90%
Bradford – Telegraph & Argus 18906 -12.60%
Bournemouth – The Daily Echo 18049 -18.00%
Jersey Evening Post 15607 -8.60%
Lancashire Evening Post 14902 -13.40%
The Argus Brighton 14370 -13.60%
The Gazette – Blackpool 14174 -14.20%
Guernsey Press & Star 13704 -5.20%
Dorset Echo 13267 -12.70%
South Wales Argus 13197 -33.20%
Lancashire Telegraph – Blackburn 13092 -28.40%
Ipswich Star 13091 -13.20%
Oxford Mail 12773 -22.90%
The Bolton News 12351 -28.20%
Swindon Advertiser 11987 -22.70%
Colchester – Daily Gazette 11706 -9.20%
Barrow – North West Evening Mail 10713 -8.70%
South Shields – Shields Gazette 10107 -15.80%
Oldham Evening Chronicle 9837 -10.90%
Carlisle – News and Star East 8900 -12.40%
Worcester News 8885 -25.50%
Hartlepool Mail 8820 -16.20%
Paisley Daily Express 6477 -14.40%
Wigan Evening Post 4487 -17.60%
Carlisle – News and Star West 3506 -10.90%
Doncaster Star 1026 -28.80%

UK regional daily/Sunday newspaper sales in first half of 2014 (ABC)

Ranked by percentage change year on year

 



Title Avg circ % change y/y
London Evening Standard (free) 890,457 27.20%
Sunday Herald 25,125 1.00%
Manchester Evening News (55.2 % paidfor) 70,458 -1.70%
Irish News – Morning 39935 -2.20%
Belfast Telegraph (77 % paid for) 48014 -2.50%
Dundee Evening Telegraph 19766 -4.70%
Daily Post (Wales) 26,348 -4.90%
Aberdeen – Press & Journal 62177 -5.10%
Guernsey Press & Star 13704 -5.20%
Dundee Courier & Advertiser 48955 -6.50%
Ulster – News Letter 19314 -6.90%
Wales – The Western Mail 21,911 -7.20%
The Herald 37728 -8.10%
Hull Daily Mail 35117 -8.30%
Portsmouth – News & Sports Mail 27954 -8.60%
Jersey Evening Post 15607 -8.60%
Barrow – North West Evening Mail 10713 -8.70%
Ipswich – East Anglian Daily Times 20664 -8.80%
Derby Telegraph 25217 -9.10%
Aberdeen – Evening Express 34894 -9.20%
Leeds – Yorkshire Post 31022 -9.20%
Colchester – Daily Gazette 11706 -9.20%
Norwich – Eastern Daily Press 42632 -9.70%
The Sentinel 37481 -10.50%
Huddersfield Daily Examiner 15,302 -10.60%
Birmingham Mail (77.7 % paid for) 36,694 -10.80%
York – The Press 19643 -10.90%
Oldham Evening Chronicle 9837 -10.90%
Carlisle – News and Star West 3506 -10.90%
Carlisle – News and Star East 8900 -12.40%
Bradford – Telegraph & Argus 18906 -12.60%
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Journal 17,396 -12.70%
Darlington – The Northern Echo 30735 -12.70%
Dorset Echo 13267 -12.70%
Coventry Telegraph 23,169 -12.90%
Leicester Mercury 35006 -12.90%
Newcastle Chronicle 35,796 -13.10%
Nottingham Post 23533 -13.10%
The Scotsman 27208 -13.20%
Ipswich Star 13091 -13.20%
Lancashire Evening Post 14902 -13.40%
Plymouth – The Herald 21783 -13.50%
The Argus Brighton 14370 -13.60%
Southend – Basildon – Castle Point – Echo 22961 -14.00%
Edinburgh – Evening News 25908 -14.10%
The Gazette – Blackpool 14174 -14.20%
Paisley Daily Express 6477 -14.40%
Express & Star (West Midlands) 77387 -14.60%
The Post 25182 -14.60%
Liverpool Echo 62,422 -14.70%
Shropshire Star 36756 -14.70%
Teesside Evening Gazette 26,845 -14.90%
Glasgow – Evening Times 33397 -14.90%
South Wales Evening Post 28477 -14.90%
South Shields – Shields Gazette 10107 -15.80%
Hartlepool Mail 8820 -16.20%
Southampton – Southern Daily Echo 22397 -16.60%
Leeds – Yorkshire Evening Post 23959 -17.20%
Sheffield Star 23238 -17.20%
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Sunday Sun 30,214 -17.50%
Cardiff – South Wales Echo 21,370 -17.60%
Wigan Evening Post 4487 -17.60%
Sunderland Echo & Football Echo 20530 -17.90%
Bournemouth – The Daily Echo 18049 -18.00%
Sunday Mercury 24,282 -18.40%
Scotland on Sunday 30,297 -19.00%
Swindon Advertiser 11987 -22.70%
Oxford Mail 12773 -22.90%
Worcester News 8885 -25.50%
Wales on Sunday 15,655 -27.30%
The Bolton News 12351 -28.20%
Lancashire Telegraph – Blackburn 13092 -28.40%
Doncaster Star 1026 -28.80%
South Wales Argus 13197 -33.20%
Liverpool Sunday Echo 21,673  

UK regional daily/Sunday newspaper sales in first half of 2014 (ABC)

In alphabetical order



Title Avg circ % change y/y
Aberdeen – Evening Express 34894 -9.20%
Aberdeen – Press & Journal 62177 -5.10%
Barrow – North West Evening Mail 10713 -8.70%
Belfast Telegraph (77 % paid for) 48014 -2.50%
Birmingham Mail (77.7 % paid for) 36,694 -10.80%
Bournemouth – The Daily Echo 18049 -18.00%
Bradford – Telegraph & Argus 18906 -12.60%
Cardiff – South Wales Echo 21,370 -17.60%
Carlisle – News and Star East 8900 -12.40%
Carlisle – News and Star West 3506 -10.90%
Colchester – Daily Gazette 11706 -9.20%
Coventry Telegraph 23,169 -12.90%
Daily Post (Wales) 26,348 -4.90%
Darlington – The Northern Echo 30735 -12.70%
Derby Telegraph 25217 -9.10%
Doncaster Star 1026 -28.80%
Dorset Echo 13267 -12.70%
Dundee Courier & Advertiser 48955 -6.50%
Dundee Evening Telegraph 19766 -4.70%
Edinburgh – Evening News 25908 -14.10%
Express & Star (West Midlands) 77387 -14.60%
Glasgow – Evening Times 33397 -14.90%
Guernsey Press & Star 13704 -5.20%
Hartlepool Mail 8820 -16.20%
Huddersfield Daily Examiner 15,302 -10.60%
Hull Daily Mail 35117 -8.30%
Ipswich – East Anglian Daily Times 20664 -8.80%
Ipswich Star 13091 -13.20%
Irish News – Morning 39935 -2.20%
Jersey Evening Post 15607 -8.60%
Lancashire Evening Post 14902 -13.40%
Lancashire Telegraph – Blackburn 13092 -28.40%
Leeds – Yorkshire Evening Post 23959 -17.20%
Leeds – Yorkshire Post 31022 -9.20%
Leicester Mercury 35006 -12.90%
Liverpool Echo 62,422 -14.70%
Liverpool Sunday Echo 21,673  
London Evening Standard (free) 890,457 27.20%
Manchester Evening News (55.2 % paidfor) 70,458 -1.70%
Newcastle Chronicle 35,796 -13.10%
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Journal 17,396 -12.70%
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Sunday Sun 30,214 -17.50%
Norwich – Eastern Daily Press 42632 -9.70%
Nottingham Post 23533 -13.10%
Oldham Evening Chronicle 9837 -10.90%
Oxford Mail 12773 -22.90%
Paisley Daily Express 6477 -14.40%
Plymouth – The Herald 21783 -13.50%
Portsmouth – News & Sports Mail 27954 -8.60%
Scotland on Sunday 30,297 -19.00%
Sheffield Star 23238 -17.20%
Shropshire Star 36756 -14.70%
South Shields – Shields Gazette 10107 -15.80%
South Wales Argus 13197 -33.20%
South Wales Evening Post 28477 -14.90%
Southampton – Southern Daily Echo 22397 -16.60%
Southend – Basildon – Castle Point – Echo 22961 -14.00%
Sunday Herald 25125 1.00%
Sunday Mercury 24,282 -18.40%
Sunderland Echo & Football Echo 20530 -17.90%
Swindon Advertiser 11987 -22.70%
Teesside Evening Gazette 26,845 -14.90%
The Argus Brighton 14370 -13.60%
The Bolton News 12351 -28.20%
The Gazette – Blackpool 14174 -14.20%
The Herald 37728 -8.10%
The Post 25182 -14.60%
The Scotsman 27208 -13.20%
The Sentinel 37481 -10.50%
Ulster – News Letter 19314 -6.90%
Wales – The Western Mail 21,911 -7.20%
Wales on Sunday 15,655 -27.30%
Wigan Evening Post 4487 -17.60%
Worcester News 8885 -25.50%
York – The Press 19643 -10.90%

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