EUROPEAN newspaper readership has shown a remarkable stability throughout the 1990s, according to a survey of newspaper readership patterns published by the European Newspaper Publishers Association (ENPA).
However, the survey found major differences in the strength of newspapers within different parts of Europe.
At the top, with strong national and local newspaper reading traditions are some of the Nordic countries, joined by Switzerland and Luxembourg. Ireland is part of a middle group that includes Denmark, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium.
At the bottom are France, Italy, Greece and Portugal, where newspaper readership and circulations are weakest. So weak, in fact, that the biggest Nordic newspaper, the Helsingin Sanomal, has the same market penetration as the whole of the Portuguese press.
According to ENPA the most important conclusion from the national surveys is that newspaper readership did not change dramatically between 1988 and 1994 in any of the countries.
However, there have been marked differences in how the newspaper industry has developed in different markets. In Spain readership has increased among women. Unemployment in northern Europe has led to a decline in newspaper buying among young people, while in France young readers are turning more and more to magazines.
Price was not raised as an issue affecting newspaper purchasing, except in Britain, where keen price competition "probably resulted more in an increase in multiple readership than in attracting new readers".
The Irish section, which was compiled by the National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI), one of the main industry groups, highlights competition from British newspapers, which it points out is unique.
The report also pointed out the decline in daily newspaper reading, from 69 per cent to 63 per cent between 1990 and 1995.