Local and regional newspapers are attributing their year-on-year increases in ABC circulation figures to exceptional journalism on local issues and listening to what readers really want.

Many papers have invested heavily in research and development in order to connect with their readers and find out what they really want to read about. This has lead to redesigns, format changes, and in some cases, complete re-launches in the period under review, January to June 2005.

The Western Mail has experienced a 4.1 per cent increase Monday to Friday and 3.1 per cent Monday to Saturday, having made the transition from broadsheet to compact format after 135 years.

Editor Alan Edmunds said: “We were very clearly told by readers that the paper needed to modernise to reflect the way Wales had changed. The fact we have a new £18m full colour press facility has also helped us to do that.

“There was a strong sense in the research of a few years ago that the paper’s emotional bond with readers had weakened, so we have worked hard to strengthen that and add a lot more Welsh passion and fun.”

The Belfast Telegraph saw a 1.8 per cent increase Monday to Friday and 2.2 per cent Monday to Saturday as a result of two major initiatives launched over the past six months.

Editor Edmund Curran said: “In February we re-launched the Saturday edition in compact format, expanding it substantially with added features, news and sport.

“We also introduced a new early bird edition of the newspaper, which is printed overnight. So we simply changed the whole Saturday production and that has paid off in the Saturday sale.

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