Advertising revenue at the Belfast Telegraph was down nearly 15pc for 2008, new figures announced today reveal.

Meanwhile its website belfasttelegraph.co.uk was relaunhced last year which resulted in an increase of more than three-fold in unique users and page impressions and a 78pc increase in online revenues in 2008.

Parent company Independent News and Media announced today the group’s full year results for 2008 along with an interim management statement for the 17 weeks from 1 January to 24 April 2009.

The report said: “Despite weak economic conditions, the group continued its commitment to ongoing innovation and editorial improvement with the launch of a new advertising-led Saturday magazine.

“Sunday Life was also re-designed to reflect the changing environment of the Northern Ireland community.

“The success of the morning compact edition led to a review of the broadsheet format and in March 2009, the Belfast Telegraph successfully moved to a fully compact format.

“A new car site, www.nicarfinder.co.uk, was launched in February 2008 to complement a new classified print product and has performed exceptionally well in an otherwise difficult market.

“A new jobs website, www.nijobfinder.co.uk was successfully launched in early 2009 on the same model.”