Firstly, apologies for the “stat attack”, but there are 43 local papers audited so there really is no choice but to have plenty of data. Just by way of explanation: there two totals on the bottom of the chart. The first are “Year Totals”, they are simply the total of all the local papers audited that year. The more important figure is the like for like figures.
They take the papers audited in 2011 and look back at those papers over the previous years so that we can make direct comparisons.
So, looking at the Like for Like sales we see that the market declined by 10% year on year and 30% over a four year period.
Only two papers managed to increase their sales in the 12 months. They were the Roscommon Herald and the Enniscorthy Guardian increasing 9% and 6% respectively. It should be noted that some of the papers who don’t have a figure haven’t necessarily ceased trading.
There are eleven publications that have recorded declines in double digits. The worst performing is the Leinster Leader which dropped 20% in the twelve months and nearly half it’s circulation in four years.
| Top Five | ||||||
| Publication | JJ ‘11 | JJ ‘10 | JJ‘09 | JJ ‘08 | 11 V 10 | 11 V 08 |
| Roscommon Herald | 8,640 | 7,907 | 8,410 | 9,032 | 9% | -4% |
| Enniscorthy Guardian | 7,277 | 6,888 | 7,361 | 7,453 | 6% | -2% |
| The Anglo Celt | 12,133 | 12,419 | 13,247 | 13,836 | -2% | -12% |
| Donegal News Friday | 11,288 | 11,480 | 11,541 | 11,977 | -2% | -6% |
| New Ross Standard | 5,781 | 5,877 | 6,079 | 6,303 | -2% | -8% |
| Bottom Five | ||||||
| Publication | JJ ‘11 | JJ ‘10 | JJ‘09 | JJ ‘08 | 11 V 10 | 11 V 08 |
| Donegal Democrat (Tues) | 6,553 | 7,632 | 7,970 | 8,882 | -14% | -26% |
| Fingal Independent | 3,319 | 3,839 | 4,776 | 5,432 | -14% | -39% |
| Limerick Leader (Weekend) | 15,147 | 17,600 | 19,034 | 21,102 | -14% | -28% |
| Nationalist & Munster Adv | 9,650 | 11,227 | 12,731 | 13,791 | -14% | -30% |
| Leinster Leader | 6,809 | 8,488 | 10,277 | 11,969 | -20% | -43% |
There is little else to add to the figures here. But, if I were a local newspaper proprietor with declining sales or worse a double digit fall in sales, I’d be on the phone to either Roscommon or Enniscorthy to set up a few meetings! Both publications have to be congratulated for increasing their circulations in very difficult market conditions.
| Publication | JJ ‘11 | JJ ‘10 | JJ‘09 | JJ ‘08 | 11 V 10 | 11 V 08 |
| The Anglo Celt | 12,133 | 12,419 | 13,247 | 13,836 | -2% | -12% |
| The Argus | 9,307 | 9,785 | 10,591 | 11,477 | -5% | -19% |
| Bray People | 3,944 | 4,247 | 4,836 | 5,208 | -7% | -24% |
| Carlow People | 3,651 | 4,014 | 4,608 | 4,599 | -9% | -21% |
| Connacht Sentinel | 5,138 | 5,311 | 5,119 | -3% | ||
| Connacht Tribune | 21,043 | 22,136 | 24,407 | -5% | -14% | |
| The Corkman | 6,911 | 7,196 | 7,504 | 8,017 | -4% | -14% |
| Donegal Democrat (Thurs) | 9,451 | 10,408 | 11,978 | 12,572 | -9% | -25% |
| Donegal Democrat (Tues) | 6,553 | 7,632 | 7,970 | 8,882 | -14% | -26% |
| Donegal News Friday | 11,288 | 11,480 | 11,541 | 11,977 | -2% | -6% |
| Donegal News Monday | 3,880 | 3,987 | 3,873 | 3,630 | -3% | 7% |
| Donegal News Group | 15,168 | 15,467 | 15,141 | 15,607 | -2% | -3% |
| Donegal Post | 4,257 | 4,977 | ||||
| Drogheda Independent | 6,852 | 7,587 | 8,801 | 10,020 | -10% | -32% |
| Dundalk Democrat | 5,849 | 6,496 | ||||
| The Echo | 7,026 | 7,613 | 7,792 | 9,263 | -8% | -24% |
| Enniscorthy Guardian | 7,277 | 6,888 | 7,361 | 7,453 | 6% | -2% |
| Fingal Independent | 3,319 | 3,839 | 4,776 | 5,432 | -14% | -39% |
| Foinse | 3,746 | 4,359 | ||||
| Inish Times | 4,872 | 5,236 | 5,486 | 6,070 | -7% | -20% |
| The Kerryman | 19,886 | 20,600 | 22,797 | 25,089 | -3% | -21% |
| Kilkenny People | 11,594 | 13,342 | 14,393 | 15,526 | -13% | -25% |
| Leinster & Offaly Express | 11,339 | 12,838 | 14,186 | 15,457 | -12% | -27% |
| Leinster Leader | 6,809 | 8,488 | 10,277 | 11,969 | -20% | -43% |
| Leitrim Observer | 6,766 | 7,608 | 7,616 | 8,064 | -11% | -16% |
| Limerick Leader (Weekend) | 15,147 | 17,600 | 19,034 | 21,102 | -14% | -28% |
| Longford Leader | 7,601 | 8,375 | 8,749 | 9,079 | -9% | -16% |
| The Mayo News | 10,229 | 10,511 | ||||
| Meath Chronicle | 11,142 | 12,009 | 13,294 | 15,249 | -7% | -27% |
| Midland Tribune (Series) | 10,136 | |||||
| Munster Express | 6,072 | 6,742 | 8,279 | 10,005 | -10% | -39% |
| The Nationalist | 13,171 | 14,375 | -8% | |||
| Nationalist & Munster Adv | 9,650 | 11,227 | 12,731 | 13,791 | -14% | -30% |
| Nenagh Guardian | 6,968 | 7,418 | 7,906 | 8,237 | -6% | -15% |
| New Ross Standard | 5,781 | 5,877 | 6,079 | 6,303 | -2% | -8% |
| Roscommon Herald | 8,640 | 7,907 | 8,410 | 9,032 | 9% | -4% |
| Sligo Champion | 9,572 | 9,944 | 10,846 | 11,868 | -4% | -19% |
| Tipperary Star | 7,175 | 7,759 | 8,468 | 9,072 | -8% | -21% |
| The Tuam Herald | 8,622 | 9,064 | 9,267 | 9,355 | -5% | -8% |
| Westmeath Examiner | 5,770 | 6,596 | 7,656 | 8,897 | -13% | -35% |
| Wexford People | 10,868 | 11,497 | 12,280 | 12,698 | -5% | -14% |
| Wicklow People | 10,050 | 10,676 | 11,579 | 12,552 | -6% | -20% |
| Year Totals | 330,436 | 361,036 | 368,325 | 431,142 | -8% | -8% |
| Like for Like Totals | 211,695 | 236,235 | 272,186 | 302,964 |
