Newspaper circulations climb despite Internett.
Newspaper circulations worldwide rose 2.3 percent in 2006 with Indian sales increasing most with12.93 percent, the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) said .Newspaper sales increased inAsia, Europe, Africa and South America, with North America the only continent to register adecline. Advertising revenues in paid dailies were up 3.77 percent last year,China, Japan and India account for 60 of the world`s 100 best-selling dailies, while the five largestmarkets for newspapers are China, India, Japan, the US and Germany.When free dailies are added to the paid newspaper circulation, global circulation increased 4.61percent. Free dailies now account for nearly 8 percent of all global newspaper circulation.The data from WAN`s annual survey of world press trends was released to more than 1,600publishers, editors and other senior newspaper executives from 109 countries at the 60th WorldNewspaper Congress and the 14th World Editors` Forum in Cape Town.?These results are even better than we expected,? said Timothy Balding, chief executive officer ofParis-based WAN. ?Newspapers are alive and well and exhibiting enormous innovation andenergy to maintain their place as the news media of preference for hundreds of millions of peopledaily.? The trend is defying the rise of the Internet. ?As the digital tide gathers strength, it isremarkable that the press in print continues to be the media of preference for the majority ofreaders,? Balding said.Yet, at the same time, newspapers were ?exploiting to the full all the new opportunities providedby the digital distribution channels to increase their audiences?, he added.Rising circulation figures in 2006 took global sales to a new high, with more than 515 millionpeople buying a newspaper every day.With free dailies included, daily circulation increased to nearly 556 million. Average readership isestimated to be more than 1.4 billion people each day, with most copies read by more than oneperson.In Europe, daily newspaper circulation was up overall, with 10 EU countries increasingtheir circulation, headed by Romania with 25.7 percent, Austria with 9.43 percent, and Portugalwith 8.95 percent.Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Poland and Slovakia also increased sales, with circulationremaining stable in Cyprus.Another 15 EU countries reported losses. The Slovenian market was hit worst with 18.9 percent,followed by Latvia with 7.8 percent and Greece with 4.9 percent. Belgium, the Czech Republic,Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Swedenand Britain also reported losses.Elsewhere in Europe, circulation increased in Turkey and Croatia, while declining in Norway and inSwitzerland.In the US, the circulation of dailies fell 1.9 percent, with most of the decline coming in eveningdailies. In Latin America, Brazilian newspaper sales were up 6.5 percent and Colombian salesincreased 3.2 percent.In Asia, circulation was up 3.61 percent over the previous year. Indian sales increased most with12.93 percent. Elsewhere in Asia, sales were up in China, Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh andKorea, and down in Taiwan and Japan.Sales in Australia recorded an increase of 2.95 percent, while New Zealand newspaper saleswere down 1.1 percent.In Africa, sales were up 8.24 percent in South Africa and stable in Nigeriaand Kenya.The Japanese remain the world`s greatest newspaper buyers, while Belgians spendthe most time reading them - an average of 54 minutes a day - followed by the Chinese, Finnsand Brazilians, with 48 minutes each.Sunday newspaper circulations declined 3.69 percent, with the US and Britain remaining thelargest markets for Sunday papers by far. Circulation for non-daily newspapers rose 7.29 percent.Free daily newspapers saw a circulation increase of 55 percent in one year, with a total of 287free titles distributing 40.7 million copies a day - most of them in Europe.The five largest free dailies are Metro in Britain, Leggo in Italy as well as 20 Minutos, Que! andADN in Spain.