The Galway Advertiser has increased its lead in the local newspaper circulation race, pulling well ahead of its local rivals, according to the latest distribution and sales figures, published by the UK-based Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC )
The newspaper which has the highest weekly circulation of any regional newspaper in Ireland was this week confirmed as the runaway leader in the circulation race in Galway.
The ABC circulation figures are the recognised indicator of accurate newspaper circulation levels — and it publishes reports twice annually to monitor the TRUE levels of newspaper circulation in both paid for and free newspaper markets.
The figures come at a time of plummeting circulation in the sales of paid-for local newspapers, with many local newspapers reporting falls of up to 15 per cent.
ABC also publishes the accepted sales and readership figures for all of the top national and international newspapers in Ireland and the UK.
This week, ABC confirmed that the Galway Advertiser distributes 34,795 copies through letterboxs or door-to-door in its catchment area.
In addition to this, 34,208 copies of the newspaper are delivered in bulk deliveries to shops, business and workplaces throughout the city and county.
The Galway Advertiser printed 70,000 copies per week. The massive circulation is an indication of the tremendous penetration of the newspaper that is still Ireland’s highest circulation regional newspaper.
In other local figures just out, the Connacht Tribune group which runs the Connacht Tribune, the City Tribune and the Connacht Sentinel did not report any figures to ABC for the period of July to December.
The Galway Independent newspaper reported that it distributed 24,643 copies of its newspaper, but is no longer registered for ABC Bulk Distribution for the period July to December 2008.
The Tuam Herald newspaper reported a weekly figure of 9,419.
The figures come at a time of great concern in the paid-for local newspaper market with almost all paid-for titles reporting significant falls in sales and distribution.
It is believed that many consumers are refusing to pay prices as high as €2 weekly per newspaper when there is so much free media available through free newspapers and free local radio. The tumbling sales figures of paid-for local newspapers comes at a time when Government advertising which was traditionally the preserve of the older paid-for newspapers has been scaled back.
The full details of the latest newspaper figures is available online at www.abc.org.uk
