Local paid-for newspapers in Mayo, some of which earlier this year claimed that newspapers which do not produce ABC-audited circulation figures could not be believed, are theselves absent from the latest audited figures, released this week by the UK-based Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC ).
In the Mayo area, circulation figures for the Connacht Telegraph, Western People and Mayo News have not been reported at all. Industry sources say this is an indication of an even more dramatic fall in circulation than is being revealed.
The circulation for the three paid-for Mayo weeklies compares unfavourably with the circulation of the Mayo Advertiser, which has a total circulation of over 21,000 copies per week, a large number of which are delivered door-to-door.
The figures come just months after the Cork-owned Western People published ads stating that newspapers which do not produce audited figures could not be believed when it comes to stating circulation figures. In this week’s figures, the newspaper is not included at all in the list of Irish newspapers that produce audited figures.
The figures also show that the Advertiser’s parent newspaper, the Galway Advertiser, is the largest circulation regional newspaper in the country — illustrating its dominance of the free newspaper market.
The latest results from ABC of the circulation figures for Ireland's local paid for newspapers show the trend of decreasing circulation has intensified, with some papers no longer reporting figures.
Industry insiders are putting this failure to report figures down to the dramatic fall-off in circulation for many local paid for newspapers throughout the country.
Many paid-for newspapers in the region are planning or have already implemented layoffs, wage cuts and working hour reductions in a bid to survive. Media owners are now trying to reduce staff numbers to sustainable levels.
ABC circulation figures are reported twice yearly for Ireland’s regional press, and the latest report, covering the period January to June 2009, confirms the alarming rate of decline for many local papers.
However, the latest ABC figures show that the paid-for newspaper market in Ireland is suffering major losses in newspaper sales, advertising sales, and crucially, readership.
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 come at a time when Government advertising, which was traditionally monopolised by the older paid-for newspapers, has been significantly scaled back.
Owned by the media industry, ABC independently verifies and reports on media performance, providing a major trading currency for media buyers and owners across print, events, digital and evolving platforms.
The full details of the latest newspaper figures are available online at www.abc.org.uk
