Newspaper circulation world-wide fell just slightly in 2009 despite the economic downturn, and the impact of the global recession on newspaper advertising revenues appears to be easing, the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) said in its annual world press trends update.
The report showed that, contrary to conventional wisdom, newspapers remain a large and thriving industry world-wide, despite the impact of the global recession and the rise of digital media.
‘Frankly, I have noticed a tendancy amongst media journalists and commentators to dwell on the negative aspects of the business when it is clear there is much to be positive about,‘ said Christopher Riess, CEO of WAN-IRFAm who presented the report.
The figures showed:
Circulation
- 1.7 billion people read a daily newspaper everyday, representing 25% of the worlds adult population.
- Daily newspaper circulation fell – 0.8% in 2009 – a small decline, given the dept of the recession, and in comparison with declines in other industries.
- 61% of countries report stable or increased circulations over 1 year and 68% report stable or increased circulations over 5 years.
- The number of daily newspaper titles rose 1.7% in 2009 to 12,477
Advertising
- Global newspaper advertising revenue fell by 17% in 2009 – largely reflecting the global recession’s impact on all businesses.
- Advertising revenues are bouncing back and are expected to increase 3.5% in 2010, with growth in all regions, according to forecasts from ZenithOptimedia.
- Newspapers are the world’s second largest advertising medium with 24%.
- There is a growing body of evidence that shows print advertising is more effective than either TV or internet advertising.
- A recent study in the United Kingdom by Microsoft indicates that every pound spent on print advertising yields £5 in revenue. This compares with returns of £2.20 for television and £3.4 for online advertising.
Information supplied by WAN-IFRA
