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THE SALES of both daily and Sunday newspapers in Ireland have continued to fall in the last year, according to new independent circulation figures.
The latest Island of Ireland report published by the Audit Bureau of Circulations shows a fall of about 7.3 per cent in the total sales of daily papers, while sales of Sundays are down about 8 per cent on the first half of 2011.
The Irish Times now averages a daily circulation of 92,565, down by about 8.3 per cent in the last year, while the Irish Examiner‘s circulation is also down, by about 7.2 per cent, to an average daily rate of 40,425.
The Irish Independent has seen a fall in circulation of 6.1 per cent to 125,986, retaining its status as the most-circulated daily paper in Ireland – while its Sunday sister, the Sunday Independent, reclaims its title as the most widely-circulated Sunday paper at 238,798, down 6.6 per cent.
The Sunday World, which had taken that crown in the last figures six months ago, sees its circulation fall by 8.1 per cent to 226,932.
The Sunday Business Post suffered the most of any Irish title, with circulation down 14.2 per cent to 41,040. The Sunday Times is down 4.1 per cent to 106,113.
The Sunday tabloid market has seen improvements in the last twelve months, most likely from the closures of the Sunday Tribune, the Irish Daily Star Sunday and the News of the World in that time.
The Sunday Mirror is up 16.4 per cent to 47,468, while the People is up by 7.5 per cent to 20,271. The Sun on Sunday, which only launched in February, has circulated an average of 82,329 copies a week in Ireland since its launch. The Irish Mail on Sunday has seen circulation fall 3.7 per cent to 108,981.
Elsewhere in the daily market, the Evening Herald‘s circulation has held up relatively well – falling 1.2 per cent to 61,179 – while the Irish Sun is down 9.3 per cent to 72,499.
The Irish Daily Mirror is down 7.3 per cent to 57,445; the Irish Daily Star down 13.5 per cent to 75,293; and the Irish Daily Mail is down just over half of one per cent, to 50,780.
The ABC’s figures are published on a bi-annual basis, but the newspaper industry usually uses compares figures across a year-on-year basis in order to account for predictable sales events like the modest summer drop-off.
The circulation figures include copies which are not actively ‘sold’, but are provided through promotions and other means. The figures published represent sales on the entire island of Ireland.
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If only there was a way to get the news on some kind of electronic device. Think I will try and patent something.
Stopped buying newspapers during height of property boom when it was obvious they were supporting the illusion of never ending property wealth and making no attempt to expose the dangers inherent in the market.
They were of course making good money from real estate advertising.
WISH YOU WARNED US
Why buy news papers and get the biased opinion and twisted fact of one organisation when you can have the Journal.ie for free, on your phone so it’s easily accessible and get more opinions from a range of people and trolls! It’s great!
And trolls – very good.
The quality of news papers has fallen as well, crap about talentless “celebrities”, tuneless manufacutured bands for children , wooden soap show actors, and a host of other nonentities. Now I am glad I got that off my chest. Phew.
Yeh, you wouldn’t find any of that sort of stuff online…
Would probably sell a lot more if they didn’t spout constant bullsh*t.
I stopped buying Evening Herald not long after the Press closed down! Does anyone remember the Heralds campaign about rip off Ireland? Two weeks after evening press closes down the Herald bangs up the price! A complete shower of hypocrites!
You think the editorial staff set the price of the paper?
Newspapers, yesterday’s news today.
Exactly. Reviews and previews. That’s all the printed press can offer.
And considered analysis that isn’t crammed up online. The ‘race to the bottom’ that people talk about in print media has been replaced by a ‘race to be first’ online.
Pandering to the add mass of the lowest common denomination like the Irish Times has done has cost this paper dearly. Garish photographs are no substitute for people who care to read their news rather than look at pictures. An over emphasis on crime will also be the downfall of RTE. My tablet and laptop are my main sources for news. I am in my mid 70′s.
Why are Irish newspapers far more expensive than the British versions? It’s not all down to VAT. I mean who buys the Irish Star for example? It’s an outrageous price.
Fionan Sheehan having a jaw- floor moment when someone suggested a wealth tax.Not biased at all.
No news is good news
And the Irish Independent have a piece in today’s edition proclaiming themselves to be Ireland’s most read newspaper. Conveniently they managed to omit that their sales are down 6.1% the way this article does. So the real story is that the most read newspaper in Ireland is now less read than ever before.
Another big shift is how the Indo, Times and Examiner now have a combined daily sales tally of just under 250,000 papers. With a population of 4.5m that now means that less than 6% of Irish people are buying a broadsheet to get their news. It’s a dying industry for sure.
And TheJournal.ie, an online news site, have a piece proclaiming the print media to be in decline. What’s the difference?
Today newspaper tomorrows bird cage lining.
Love the Guardian on a Saturday and the Sunday Times on a Sunday. Can’t imagine my weekends without them.
I await the John Waters Gazette with baited breath…..
VERY disappointed with The Jounal for censoring my earlier comment. So it’s not possible to be critical of INM? Clique? Small town? No bad news?
Con – the only reason your original comment was removed was simply because it was a potentially libellous and unproven allegation against a specific named person.
Named nobody!!??
Your comment identified someone by their job title.
Too much bad news – that’s why
getting me ma(over 70) a ipad…why? cause buys 3 papers a day!! have saved the money in a month!!!
If papers printed less of “Celebrity Lawyers ” ( Maybe I’m thick ) But I don’t Understand
what that means, together with photo shoots of so called dumb chicks in various
nightclubs, etc., I may start buying some newspapers again !!!!!!!!
have your say