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The latest ABC circulation figures show that almost half of all weekly titles increased their sales during the last year.

But total circulation in the sector, which has more than 400 eligible titles, was down by 1.5 per cent.

Sunday and morning titles have improved their position year-on-year while the evening papers have dropped back slightly.

Circulation of all ABC-audited regional newspaper titles was down by 2.8 per cent year-on-year.

The figures have been hailed as “clean and transparent” by the newspaper society, as more and more publishers are pursuing a policy of reducing their bulk sales and discounted copies – which may previously have masked any decline in sales.

The latest ABC/VFD figures (Jan-June 2001) show that 96.3 per cent of regional titles are ‘actively purchased’, 70 per cent of titles boast 100 per cent actively purchased figures, and 94.3 per cent of titles are sold at full cover price. The figures are up from 95.9 per cent actively purchased and 94.1 per cent full rate this time last year.

This policy has been followed despite a series of pressures on newspaper sales, including increased newsprint costs, cover price increases and the foot and mouth crisis.

Lynne Anderson, communications director at the Newspaper Society said: “Readership of regional titles is up and regional publishers have evolved into multimedia publishers, expanding their portfolios to encompass radio, TV and the internet.

“As a result, aggregate audiences are increasingly swelled by a range of new media and broadcast ‘satellite’ channels, fed by the trusted regional newspaper brand.”

While the like-for-like ABC figures have dropped back slightly, in line with other media, the total regional press market is expanding. There are nearly half a million more readers of regional newspapers than at this time last year, new launches including the Metros and more online and niche publications.

Total audited circulation/distribution figures for the regional press have increased between 1999 and 2000 and the industry now sells 41m paid-for newspapers and distributes 35m free newspapers each week.

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