Circulation among several leading local and provincial papers in Ireland has fallen in the past six months as competition among media outlets increases.
The figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) show the following titles losing ground in the six months to the end of June 2003: the Anglo Celt (1 per cent), the Connacht Tribune (0.5 per cent), the Donegal Democrat, Thursday edition (3.5 per cent); the Kilkenny People ( 1 per cent); the Munster Express (1.1 per cent); the New Ross Standard (1.5 per cent); the People Newspaper Group (0.8 per cent); the Kerryman (2.9 per cent) and the Wicklow People (14.6 per cent).
The year-on-year figures for some titles were even more stark. For example, the Connacht Sentinel was down 4.6 per cent; the Connacht Tribune was down 3 per cent; the Munster Express was down 5.2 per cent, the Corkman was down 9 per cent, while the Wicklow People was down 13.2 per cent.
Among the papers pushing their sales up year-on-year were: the Argus (up 8.6 per cent); the Irish Field (5.5 per cent) and the Donegal Democrat, Tuesday edition, which was up 10.3 per cent.
Titles in Northern Ireland also suffered in the first half of 2002, with the biggest declines recorded at the Carrickfergus Advertiser and East Antrim Gazette (down 6.4 per cent); the Larne Gazette Group (4.2 per cent); Mourne Observer (3.1 per cent) and the Tyrone Times (2.6 per cent).
Papers in Derry fared well, according to the figures, with the Derry Journal (Friday edition) up 5.5 per cent year-on-year and the Derry News up 34.1 per cent year-on-year. Another big gainer, year-on-year, was the Foyle News, which was up 22.1 per cent.
