Newspaper circulations rise after Fairfax compact relaunch but News Limited wins bragging rights
The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald have both seen a jump in sales since moving to compact format – but News Limited saw even bigger rises, early numbers suggest.
According to the unaudited figures passed to Mumbrella, the intense competition between News Limited and Fairfax benefited the newspaper sector as a whole, with print sales in NSW up by 5 per cent in the first week of the relaunch and 3 per cent in the next week. In Victoria, sales were up by three per cent and two per cent.
In numerical terms, News Limited – which countered Fairfax’s move with an advertising blitz and street vendors along with some strong stories – was the bigger winner overall.
In NSW in the week beginning March 4, The Daily Telegraph saw a rise in sale 55,000 copies compared to the week before, while the Herald sold an additional 46,000 copies.
Print is back! Digital is dead! (Just joking)
maybe you’re right Wayne, people always like a story that’s fact checked
And since when have we been able to believe circulation numbers when it comes to these guys?
Jeez… a whole 5%, I don’t get out of bed for less than 10
It is people buying two papers instead of one to get enough paper to wrap the rubbish.
Sounds very much like a paramedic maintaining CPR until the doctor arrives and pronounces the patient dead. We’re just waiting for the Doc!
Fish and Chips are in demand…
Yes people need to store theri papers for winter fires to save on electricity and gas
Why do people media folk not like newspapers? Is it because circulation is declining? If so, wouldn’t we therefore dislike old people? Seems odd to revel in the decline of a medium that has contributed so much to society for hundreds of years. Of course it’s days are numbered…in time… But as an industry do we have to be so pleased about it?
Well said Old Romantic. If those who constantly parrot “newspapers are dead” are to suddenly find themselves in the newspaper tomorrow, they will then understand how “alive” newspapers are!
Old Romantic and P: ye need not worry. Marketers have never been the audience and will only discover a medium after someone surveys it. That said, it is certainly true that newspapers invite cynicism on the circulation data front. And In this case, my guess is that both publishers have been putting a little extra air in their tyres for reasons to with their evident reciprocal death wish.
I’ve never understood the masses of digital people just waiting for newspapers to die so they can dance on their graves. it’s like they were all wronged by Fairfax and News in some way and are desperate to get even with them.
Yeah, kill off newspapers and old farts who buy them immediately – then we’ll have so much more time for all those really interesting sites where yummy mummies talk about PMT and young cool fools tell us about how the new whiz bang communication device they paid over the odds for yesterday is so much better than the one they paid over the odds for two months ago.
The Telegraph has always had higher print circulation so taking that into consideration isn’t it possible that percentage-wise Fairfax had the higher jump? As mentioned in the article, the Tele has also been on a massive advertising spree for the last year or so – far more than Fairfax, even counting for the relaunch marketing.
Additionally, if these are just circulation figures, it’s important to factor in Fairfax’s intentional reduction in promotional copies – thereby heavily reducing circulation. The Tele meanwhile has been handing out free copies left, right and centre. Sporting matches, easter show, carnivals… everywhere.
So this article suggests good marketing and strong journalism may have led to increased circulation? Outrageous!!