The downturn in local newspaper readership shows no sign of slowing in the weekly market where just 22 out of 401 paid-for or part-paid-for titles recorded positive sales growth between July and December last year.
The average circulation fall across the sector was 5.8 per cent compared to the same period in 2008.
Ten titles, including the Waltham Forest Guardian and Reading Chronicle saw their average weekly circulation fall by more than 20 per cent. The worst hit paper by circulation was Bracknell News, which saw its sales fall to 3,441, a 27.3 percent drop year on year.
The picture is at least stable for the UK’s biggest Sunday titles: market leader Sunday Life, published by the Belfast Telegraph, was down 5.5 percent at 60,057 copies per week while the Newcastle-based Sunday Sun retained its second place with 58,882 weekly sales, a 4.8 percent drop year on year.
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Top 300 paid-for weekly titles July-December 2009, in order of circulation (percentages are year on year changes)
Sunday Life 60,057 -5.5%
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Sunday Sun 58,882 -4.8%
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Sunday Mercury 49,535 -8.9%
Kent Messenger (Series) 42,873 -8.3%
Mansfield Chad 39,628 -6.5%
Barnsley Chronicle 39,395 -5.3%
Isle of Wight County Press 36,663 -2.1%
Hereford Times 35,531 -4.6%
Derbyshire Times 35,476 -6.1%
West Briton (Series) 35,137 -6.9%
Chichester Observer 32,512 -3.5%
Wales on Sunday 32,268 -10.3%
Western Gazette (Series) 30,789 -7.1%
Rotherham & South Yorkshire Advertiser 30,537 -5.9%
Warrington Guardian 30,513 -8.5%
Cumberland News 30,075 -5.7%
Essex Chronicle 29,457 -7.8%
Wakefield Express 29,413 -4.2%
Cornish Guardian (Series) 29,347 -6.9%
Doncaster Free Press 29,176 -4.0%
North Devon Journal (Series) 28,447 -2.2%
Kent and Sussex Courier 27,920 -4.5%
Westmorland Gazette 27,792 -4.2%
Surrey Advertiser 27,532 0.2%
Somerset County Gazette 26,446 -5.3%
Lynn News (Fri) 25,196 -6.3%
Falkirk Herald 24,322 -7.5%
Darlington & Stockton Times 24,276 -5.4%
Salisbury Journal 24,205 -7.6%
Eastbourne Herald 24,039 -1.8%
Ayrshire Post 23,998 -4.9%
Bury Free Press 23,921 -3.7%
Wiltshire Gazette & Herald (Series) 23,510 -6.8%
Hertfordshire Mercury (Series) 22,925 -8.1%
Western Telegraph 22,487 -4.7%
Tamworth Herald (Series) 21,879 -6.7%
Pontefract & Castleford Express 21,666 -4.5%
Romford Recorder 21,448 -11.2%
Chester Chronicle (Series) 20,656 -6.4%
Newbury Weekly News 20,405 -5.8%
Hamilton Advertiser (Series) 20,378 -7.9%
Bucks Free Press 20,346 -8.8%
West Sussex County Times 20,213 -5.1%
Maidenhead Advertiser 19,807 -9.3%
Bury Times (Series) 19,764 -10.5%
Oxford Times 19,463 -5.9%
Hastings & St Leonards Observer 19,177 -3.0%
Rochdale Observer (Sat) 19,078 -9.7%
Loughborough Echo 18,634 -2.2%
Carmarthen Journal 18,576 -5.3%
Derry Journal (Fri) 18,525 -5.4%
The Watford Observer 18,367 -4.7%
Kentish Express (Series) 18,365 -7.2%
Glamorgan Gazette (Series) 18,149 -10.0%
Grantham Journal 18,045 -6.9%
Bath Chronicle 17,929 -9.1%
Rutland & Stamford Mercury 17,917 -5.8%
Cumberland & Westmorland Herald 17,830 -1.0%
Worthing Herald 17,467 -1.7%
Northern Scot 17,296 -5.0%
Lynn News (Tue) 17,172 -7.9%
Essex County Standard 17,169 -5.8%
Great Yarmouth Mercury 17,140 -4.7%
Dunfermline Press & West of Fife Advertiser 17,103 -12.7%
Folkestone Herald (Series) 16,765 38.0%
Croydon Advertiser 16,552 -11.9%
Cornishman 16,550 -4.2%
The Sheffield Telegraph 16,479 -8.1%
Derry Journal (Tue) 16,479 -6.0%
Lowestoft Journal 16,473 -5.2%
Basingstoke Weekend Gazette 16,434 -10.8%
Southern Reporter 16,412 -4.9%
Lincolnshire Free Press 16,411 -2.1%
West Cumberland Times & Star 16,239 -0.8%
Wiltshire Times 16,182 -6.7%
Oban Times (Series) 16,151 -4.8%
Kilmarnock Standard (Ayrshire Weekly News and Irvine Valley News) 16,102 -3.1%
County Times and Express 15,976 -4.5%
Weston & Somerset Mercury 15,910 -6.5%
Clacton Gazette 15,462 -0.6%
Whitehaven News 15,450 -4.6%
Inverness Courier (Fri) 15,400 -9.0%
Guernsey Press & Star 15,386 -2.5%
Burnley Express (Fri) 15,292 -7.1%
Crewe Chronicle (Series) 15,241 -7.0%
Worksop Guardian 15,220 -8.3%
Malvern Gazette 15,084 -5.8%
Craven Herald & Pioneer 15,082 -5.0%
Dumfries & Galloway Standard (Fri) 15,021 -4.4%
Reading Post 14,921 N/A
North Wales Weekly News (Series) 14,920 -7.4%
East Kent Gazette (Series) 14,793 41.5%
Bridlington Free Press 14,702 -1.5%
Wigan Observer 14,688 -8.4%
Birmingham Post 14,685 N/A
Banbury Guardian 14,571 -7.2%
Lancaster Guardian 14,415 -5.7%
The West Lothian Courier 14,405 -11.6%
Bucks Herald 14,395 -7.1%
Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser 14,334 -7.5%
Perthshire Advertiser (Fri) 14,313 -8.8%
Fife Free Press 14,257 -11.3%
Welwyn Hatfield Times 14,183 -10.1%
Merthyr Express (Series) 14,177 -13.5%
Harrogate Advertiser 13,977 -3.7%
Spalding Guardian 13,894 0.4%
Llanelli Star 13,880 -4.3%
Macclesfield Express 13,875 -9.9%
Herts & Essex Observer (Series) 13,802 -5.4%
Kentish Gazette (Series) 13,776 -11.3%
Nelson Leader 13,681 -6.4%
Andover Advertiser 13,605 -9.0%
Hinckley Times 13,498 -8.9%
Brentwood Gazette 13,489 -4.5%
Impartial Reporter 13,335 -4.3%
Gloucestershire County Gazette (Series) 13,321 -5.1%
Uxbridge & West Drayton Gazette (Series) 13,312 -4.6%
Hampshire Chronicle 13,273 -10.5%
Newry Reporter 13,253 -3.4%
Fermanagh Herald 13,204 -0.8%
East Lothian Courier 13,195 -4.9%
Sussex Express & County Herald 13,158 -6.6%
Stroud News & Journal 13,058 -7.7%
Rochdale Observer (Wed) 13,023 -12.0%
Isle of Thanet Gazette 12,958 -3.3%
Southport Visiter 12,947 -9.3%
Rossendale Free Press 12,944 -6.4%
Stockport Express 12,944 -11.4%
Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald 12,812 -8.4%
Keighley News 12,803 -7.4%
Motherwell Times & Bellshill Speaker 12,734 -0.7%
Northwich Guardian 12,717 -8.9%
Accrington Observer 12,670 -11.6%
Chorley Guardian 12,636 -4.3%
Andersonstown News 12,627 -12.2%
Aldershot News 12,603 -8.7%
Herald (Series) 12,491 -3.4%
Wilts & Glos Standard (Series) 12,364 -5.7%
Ulster Herald 12,352 -1.2%
Caernarfon & Denbigh Herald (Series) 12,349 -5.9%
Bridgwater Mercury 12,328 -4.0%
Fife Herald News & St. Andrews Citizen 12,289 -2.7%
The Visitor 12,203 -2.9%
Leamington Spa Courier 12,162 -1.1%
Surrey Herald & Staines News (Series) 12,151 -12.7%
Bucks Advertiser & Examiner (Series) 12,074 -5.4%
Ads for Free 12,007 9.9%
East Kent Mercury (Series) 11,931 -5.9%
Braintree & Witham Times 11,903 -5.6%
Yorkshire – Gazette & Herald 11,797 -7.4%
Isle of Man Examiner 11,740 -5.0%
Surrey Mirror 11,638 -2.5%
Buxton Advertiser 11,625 -5.0%
Stornoway Gazette and West Coast Advertiser 11,455 -2.9%
Melton Times 11,428 -6.2%
Mid Sussex Times 11,427 -4.0%
Henley and South Oxfordshire Standard 11,285 -1.3%
Hemel Hempstead Gazette 11,274 -7.4%
Lanark & Carluke Gazette 11,206 -4.1%
Harborough Mail 11,168 -2.5%
Barking & Dagenham Post 11,131 -6.0%
Inverness Courier (Tue) 11,114 -9.5%
Manx Independent 11,094 -2.9%
Mourne Observer 11,067 -2.5%
The Mid Devon Gazette 11,046 -4.8%
Shetland Times 10,943 -2.5%
Whitby Gazette 10,874 -2.4%
Down Recorder 10,857 -5.4%
Dewsbury Reporter 10,836 -3.9%
Sevenoaks Chronicle 10,786 -4.6%
Clydebank Post 10,721 -11.6%
Runcorn & Widnes Weekly News (Series) 10,682 -7.1%
Medway Messenger (Monday) 10,676 -10.1%
Ilford, Barking & Dagenham Recorder 10,562 -21.8%
Leek Post & Times 10,562 -0.8%
East Kilbride News 10,487 -9.1%
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser 10,348 -5.0%
Burnley Express (Tue) 10,337 -5.3%
East Fife Mail 10,315 -4.2%
Kirkintilloch Herald 10,249 -6.4%
Oswestry & Border Counties Advertizer 10,207 -4.9%
Lennox Herald 10,200 -9.1%
Rugby Advertiser 10,098 -2.0%
Boston Standard 10,017 -6.2%
Rhondda Leader 9,944 -14.6%
The Forester 9,832 -3.8%
Littlehampton Gazette 9,756 -1.7%
County Down Spectator 9,713 -7.5%
Portadown Times 9,661 -2.2%
Bridport News 9,627 -1.2%
Eastbourne Gazette 9,570 -10.3%
Skegness Standard 9,509 -4.4%
Cumbernauld News & Kilsyth Chronicle 9,507 -11.0%
Goole Times 9,453 -4.8%
Orcadian 9,447 -4.2%
The Arbroath Herald (inc Broughty Ferry, Carnoustie, Monifieth Guide & Gazette) (Series) 9,443 -4.0%
Retford Gainsborough & Worksop Times 9,364 -6.3%
Newham Recorder 9,360 -15.6%
Irvine Herald and Kilwinning Chronicle 9,338 -4.0%
Stirling Observer (Wed) 9,333 -11.9%
Ealing & Acton Gazette (Series) 9,328 -14.2%
West Somerset Free Press 9,308 -5.4%
Newtownards Chronicle & County Down Observer 9,302 -1.1%
Ross-shire Journal 9,242 -7.9%
Dumfries & Galloway Standard (Wed) 9,200 -4.8%
Newmarket Journal 9,145 -3.6%
Louth Leader 9,070 -6.5%
Mid Ulster Mail 9,028 -3.1%
Ripley & Heanor News 9,020 -7.1%
Bexhill Observer 9,013 -2.4%
Biggleswade Chronicle 8,995 -0.1%
Larne Times 8,979 -3.2%
Waltham Forest Guardian 8,899 -20.0%
Ormskirk Advertiser (Series) 8,815 -11.0%
Holyhead & Anglesey Mail 8,778 -6.2%
Luton News 8,701 -5.8%
Mid Somerset Journal (Series) 8,686 -1.4%
Ulster Star 8,676 -3.1%
West Highland Free Press 8,642 0.3%
Coalville Times 8,606 0.4%
Crosby Herald 8,564 -7.8%
Buckingham & Winslow Advertiser 8,562 2.8%
Mid Somerset Gazette (Series) 8,470 -2.2%
Pontypridd & Llantrisant Observer 8,455 -18.4%
Exmouth Journal 8,442 -7.6%
Wishaw Press 8,383 -12.4%
Bridgnorth Journal 8,359 -5.5%
Daventry Express 8,324 0.3%
John O’Groat Journal 8,263 -4.0%
Ilkeston Advertiser & Erewash Valley Weekly News 8,247 -1.4%
Newry Democrat 8,246 2.1%
Paisley & Renfrewshire Gazette 8,239 -11.4%
The Galloway News 8,234 -5.0%
South Shropshire Journal (Series) 8,220 -1.8%
Suffolk Free Press 8,167 -6.9%
Clitheroe Advertiser & Times 8,110 -4.5%
Linlithgowshire Journal & Gazette 8,109 -3.2%
Hampstead & Highgate Express 8,073 -6.5%
Crawley Observer 8,047 -9.9%
Sheerness Times Guardian 8,014 -3.9%
Maldon & Burnham Standard 8,008 -8.3%
Selby Times 7,925 -5.0%
Highland News 7,903 -6.0%
Newport Advertiser (Series) 7,869 -6.8%
Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser 7,754 -11.5%
Stranraer & Wigtownshire Free Press 7,712 -1.4%
Petersfield Post (Series) 7,689 -1.9%
Lurgan Mail 7,650 -4.4%
Slough Eton & Windsor Observer 7,640 -19.6%
Perthshire Advertiser (Tue) 7,633 -7.1%
Cynon Valley Leader 7,618 -16.9%
Surrey Comet 7,612 -17.9%
Coleraine Times 7,602 7.3%
Hackney Gazette 7,593 -5.2%
Lytham St. Annes Express 7,591 -12.5%
Hucknall Dispatch 7,577 -5.7%
Gwent Gazette 7,549 -24.8%
Cardigan & Tivy-Side Advertiser 7,487 -3.0%
Somerset and Avon Guardian 7,473 -8.4%
Matlock Mercury 7,461 -2.3%
Free Press – Monmouth (Series) 7,456 -24.0%
Epping Forest Guardian 7,408 -17.6%
Berwick Advertiser 7,392 -2.1%
Reading Chronicle 7,389 -21.3%
North Norfolk News 7,376 -4.4%
Diss Express 7,367 -4.2%
Spenborough Guardian 7,227 -1.4%
Witney Gazette 7,134 -1.9%
Andersonstown News (Monday) 7,088 -14.4%
Islington Gazette 7,069 -12.5%
South Wales Guardian 7,028 -12.4%
Dereham & Fakenham Times 7,009 -5.0%
Denbighshire Free Press 6,974 -3.7%
Campbeltown Courier & Argyllshire Advertiser (Series) 6,940 -3.1%
The Buchan Observer 6,933 -1.6%
East London Advertiser 6,917 2.0%
West Sussex Gazette & South Of England Advertiser 6,886 -0.9%
Romsey Advertiser 6,861 -1.1%
Woking News & Mail 6,856 -10.9%
Beccles & Bungay Journal 6,832 -3.5%
Cumnock Chronicle 6,821 -7.5%
Batley & Birstall News 6,816 -12.4%
Sidmouth Herald 6,753 -1.5%
Somerset Standard 6,741 -2.7%
Packet Newspapers – Falmouth 6,643 -6.4%
Midlothian Advertiser 6,617 -3.3%
The Middleton & North Manchester Guardian 6,609 -4.4%
Chard & Ilminster News 6,544 -7.7%
Brighouse Echo 6,509 -2.0%
Caithness Courier 6,482 -4.8%
Hemsworth & South Elmsall Express 6,434 -1.2%
Derry News – Monday 6,410 -3.5%
Tyrone Herald 6,404 -6.2%
Derry News – Thursday 6,395 -7.3%
Harrow Observer (Series) 6,293 -12.2%
Annandale Observer 6,233 -4.9%
Central Fife Times & Advertiser 6,193 -7.7%
Rye & Battle Observer 6,192 -2.2%
Harwich & Manningtree Standard 6,112 -0.6%
Leighton Buzzard Observer 5,959 -5.4%
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