Friday, 14 August 2009

Northern New South Wales first quarter 2009 newspaper readership and circulation figures


Roy Morgan Report, June 2009: North Coast Newspapers.

Table showing Readership April 2007 to March 2009 (1st column) and Circulation January to March 2009 (2nd column)

Northern New South Wales

Tweed Daily News, M-F

11,000

4,593

Tweed Daily News, Sat

10,000

5,182

Lismore/Northern Rivers – The Northern Star, M-F

37,000

14,903

Lismore/Northern Rivers – The Northern Star, Sat

56,000

23,164

Grafton/Clarence Valley – The Daily Examiner, M-F

16,000

5,596

Grafton/Clarence Valley – The Daily Examiner, Sat

15,000

6,397

The Coffs Coast Advocate, Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri

10,000*

3,293†

The Coffs Coast Advocate, Wed/Sat

45,000*

31,194#


Source:
Readership – Morgan Mar 09; M-F av. and Sat; APN total distribution area *Average readership
Circulation – ABC Jan to Mar 09; M-Sat av. and Sat †Publisher's claim #CAB Oct 08 to Mar 09

Now The Daily Examiner editor, Peter Chapman, is very fond of bragging that 'his' newspaper was the fastest growing daily newspaper in regional Australia in the first quarter of 2009.

However, if one compares circulation figures (average net paid sales/net circulation) for the
first two quarters 2008 with the first quarter 2009, then it works out that each week The Daily Examiner managed to sell 76 extra newspapers, as 2009 Saturday circulation figures have actually fallen.

Compared with The Daily Examiner circulation figures for the
last two quarters of 2004 these current figures are even less impressive, in view of the painfully slow circulation growth up to and including January-March 2009.

If one compares The Northern Star across those same quarters in
2008 and 2009 then a different story unfolds. It has shown circulation growth both Monday-Friday and Saturday and, therefore sells an extra 1,341 newspapers each week.

One has to suspect that Mr. Chapman in relying on percentages is hoping that no-one will enquire into what hard numbers his bragging might actually represent.


UPDATE:

More rubbery figures? The only conclusion I can draw from these latest numbers (which appear to indicate that quarter to quarter The Daily Examiner circulation varies markedly) is that this newspaper has more casual readers than it has devoted followers.

APN released these figures later this morning.
The publishing group sees these figures as showing a year-on-year 5% circulation increase for The Daily Examiner and a 1% increase for The Northern Star.

Table showing Readership April 2007 to March 2009 (1st column) and Circulation April to June 2009 (2nd column)

Northern New South Wales

Tweed Daily News, M-Sat

11,000

4,773

Tweed Daily News, Sat

10,000

5,222

Lismore/Northern Rivers – The Northern Star, M-Sat

40,000

15,141

Lismore/Northern Rivers – The Northern Star, Sat

56,000

22,997

Grafton/Clarence Valley – The Daily Examiner, M-Sat

16,000

5,811

Grafton/Clarence Valley – The Daily Examiner, Sat

15,000

6,483

The Coffs Coast Advocate, Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri

10,000*

3,293

The Coffs Coast Advocate, Wed/Sat

45,000*

31,194#


Source:
Readership – Morgan March 2009; M-Sat av. and Sat readership; APN total distribution area *Average readership
Circulation – ABC April to June 2009; M-Sat av. and Sat †Publisher’s claim #CAB October 2008 to March 2009

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