Circulation figures mostly flat amid tough conditions

We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later.

Advertisement

This was published 12 years ago

Circulation figures mostly flat amid tough conditions

By Clare Kermond

NATURAL disasters and a tough retail climate played a role in the latest circulation figures, which showed mostly flat results for newspapers Monday to Friday, and Sunday papers dropping significantly.

But among the weekday metropolitan newspapers The Age (owned by Fairfax Media), was the strongest performer, increasing its circulation by half a per cent compared with this time last year. Circulation of the Monday to Friday Herald Sun (published by News Ltd) dropped 5 per cent.

And The Sunday Age bucked the trend among Sunday papers, recording a 1 per cent rise. The Sunday Herald Sun was down 6 per cent.

The Australian Financial Review (owned by Fairfax Media) was the worst-performing newspaper, recording a drop of about 4 per cent year on year for Monday to Friday and about 15 per cent for its weekend edition.

The AFR recently announced a new look for its weekend edition, to be on sale next month. Sales of the publication have been sliding sharply in recent years. The Financial Review Group underwent a major executive reshuffle in March, with chief executive Michael Gill leaving to be replaced by Brett Clegg, most recently deputy chief executive of The Australian.

Don Churchill, chief executive and publisher, Melbourne Publishing, for Fairfax, said the company was pleased with the results of the weekday and Sunday editions of The Age.

''Although our Saturday edition posted a decline, the recent redesign of The Saturday Age has improved our result,'' he said. ''While these small gains are pleasing, we are focused on some long-term strategies to ensure that The Age continues to remain a leader in the Victorian market.''

Media analyst Steve Allen described the Audit Bureau of Circulation figures as an unusual audit, with flooding in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria disrupting print and causing lower circulations.

Mr Allen said the trend overall for newspapers was not good, with no real sign of recovery in circulations and Sunday continuing to be the weakest sector.

Magazines showed some improvement, with the rate of decline slowing in most of this sector. Only one weekly magazine, Famous, showed growth (2.5 per cent). Many weekly magazines recorded double-digit losses, including Grazia with a 17 per cent drop, Picture with a 16 per per cent fall and Zoo Weekly down 10 per cent.

Most Viewed in Business

Loading