future-of-journalism

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 01 Jun 2007 23:15:35 +0200
From: Larry Kilman <lkilman@wan.asso.fr>
To: WAN News <press@wan.asso.fr>
Subject: Press release - WAN/World Press Trends

Cape Town, South Africa, 4 June 2007
Embargoed for release: 13h00 GMT Monday, 4 June, 2007 (14h00 in Cape Town)
Time set by source

World Press Trends: Global Newspaper Circulation, Advertising On the Upswing

Newspaper circulations world-wide rose 2.3 percent in 2006 while newspaper
advertising revenues showed substantial gains, the World Association of
Newspapers announced today (Monday).

WAN said global newspaper sales were up +2.3 percent over the year, and had
increased +9.48 percent over the past five years. Newspaper sales increased
year-on-year in Asia, Europe, Africa, South America, with North America the
sole continent to register a decline.

When free dailies are added to the paid newspaper circulation, global
circulation increased +4.61 percent last year, and +14.76 percent over the
past five years. Free dailies now account for nearly 8 percent percent of
all global newspaper circulation and 31.94 percent in Europe alone.

Advertising revenues in paid dailies were up +3.77 percent last year from a
year earlier, and up +15.77 percent over five years, WAN said. No figures
were available for free daily advertising revenues.

"Newspapers in developing markets continue to increase circulation by leaps
and bounds, and in mature markets are showing remarkable resilience against
the onslaught of digital media. Even in many developed nations the industry
is maintaining or even increasing sales," said Timothy Balding, Chief
Executive Officer of the Paris-based WAN . "At the same time, newspapers
are exploiting to the full all the new opportunities provided by the digital
distribution channels to increase their audiences.

"As the digital tide gathers strength, it is remarkable that the press in
print continues to be the media of preference for the majority of readers
who want to remain informed."

Mr Balding added: "These results are even better than we expected from
provisional data available a few months ago. .Once again we can see that
far from being an industry in decline, as the ill-informed and short-sighted
continue to contend, newspapers are alive and well and exhibiting enormous
innovation and energy to maintain their place as the news media of
preference for hundreds of millions of people daily".

The new data, from WAN's annual survey of world press trends, was released
to more than 1,600 publishers, editors and other senior newspaper executives
from 109 countries attending the 60th World Newspaper Congress and 14th
World Editors Forum in Cape Town, South Africa. The main figures showed that
global circulations and advertising revenues are increasing world-wide. In
addition, the free daily market is giving renewed impetus to newspaper
reading, and newspaper web traffic continues high growth.

The figures showed:

- Paid circulation grew +2.3 percent worldwide in 2006 from a year earlier,
taking global sales to a new high of more than 515 million daily. With free
dailies added, daily circulation increases to nearly 556 million, a +4.61
percent increase from the total of paid and free dailies in 2005.

- The total number of paid-for daily titles was up 3.46 percent in the world
in 2006 and up 17.67 percent since 2002 to a record 11,207 titles. The total
number of paid and free titles increased by +4.33 percent in 2006 and by
+19.63 percent since 2002.

- Newspaper advertising revenue increased 3.77 percent in 2006 from a year
earlier, and was up 15.77 percent over five years.

The survey, which WAN has published annually since 1986, this year includes
information on all countries and territories where newspapers are published
-- 232.

The 2007 World Press Trends report reveals:

On circulation

- Paid daily newspaper circulations were up in 31 percent of the countries
surveyed in 2006, stable in half the countries and down in 19 percent. Over
the past five years, newspaper circulations were up in more than half of the
countries surveyed and stable in 20 percent.

- More than 515 million people buy a newspaper every day, up from 488
million in 2002.
Average readership is estimated to be more than 1.4 billion people each day.

- Seven of 10 of the world's 100 best selling dailies are now published in
Asia. China, Japan and India account for 60 of them.

-The five largest markets for newspapers are: China, with 98.7 million
copies sold daily; India, with 88.9 million copies daily; Japan, with 69.1
million copies daily; the United States, with 52.3 million; and Germany,
21.1 million.

- Circulation sales were up +3.61 percent in Asia in 2006 over the previous
year, up +4.55 percent in South America, up +0.74 percent in Europe, up
+0.65 percent in Africa, up +2.11 percent in Australia and Oceania, and down
-1.97 percent in North America.

- The number of paid-for newspaper titles increased everywhere but South
America, where it was stable. The number of newspaper titles was up 7
percent in Asia, 1.3 percent in Europe, 0.67 percent in North America, 1.2
percent in Africa and 1.14 percent in Australia and Oceania.

Daily paid newspapers in Europe saw a +0.74 percent increase in circulation
in 2006, and a -4.12 percent decrease over five years. When free dailies are
added, circulation increased +10.19 percent year-on-year and +12.84 percent
over five years.

- In the European Union, paid daily newspapers saw a -0.87 percent percent
drop in 2006 and a -5.63 percent drop since 2002. Combined with free
dailies, circulation in the EU rose +7.56 percent over one year and +12.22
percent over five years.

Newspapers in 10 European Union countries increased their total circulation
in 2006. They were: Austria +9.43 percent, Estonia +7.81 percent, Ireland
+5.54 percent, Italy +1.88 percent, Lithuania +1.52 percent, Malta +5.26
percent, Poland +2.13 percent, Portugal +8.95 percent, Romania +25.70
percent, and Slovakia +1.09 percent. Circulation was stable in Cyprus.

Those reporting losses were: Belgium -2.86, Czech Republic -1.78, Denmark
-1.71, Finland -0.71, France -1.55, Germany -2.1, Greece -4.85, Hungary
-0.62, Latvia -7.76, Luxembourg -0.87, The Netherlands - 2.07, Slovenia -
18.60, Spain 2.14, Sweden -2.14 and the United Kingdom -2.66.

Over the five years 2002-2006, circulation rose in nine countries: Austria
+10.25 percent, Cyprus +11.11 percent, Czech Republic +1.24 percent, Estonia
+8.24 percent, Ireland +35.36 percent, Malta +25 percent, Poland +24.95
percent, Portugal +12.70 percent, and Slovenia +1.74 percent.

In the same period, circulation declined in: Belgium -3.46 percent, Denmark
-11.5 percent; Finland -1.94 percent; France -5.70 percent; Germany -9.35
percent; Greece -2.79 percent; Hungary -9.03 percent; Italy -4.49 percent;
Latvia -17.05, Luxembourg -3.39, Netherlands -11.13 percent; Slovakia -9.18
percent; Spain -1.13 percent; Sweden -3.95 percent and the United Kingdom
-12.5 percent.

Elsewhere in Europe, circulation in 2006 increased +2.80 percent in Turkey
and +36.25 percent in Croatia. It declined -2.91 percent in Norway, and
-2.54 percent in Switzerland.

Over five years, the decline was -10.1 percent in Norway, -9.64 percent in
Switzerland and -6.20 percent in Croatia, while it climbed +55.57 percent in
Turkey.

- The number of paid-for newspaper titles in the EU climbed +0.41 percent in
2006, to 1,482, and was up +3.2 percent over five years. When paid and free
titles are combined, the number of titles rose +2.57 percent over one year
and +8.44 percent over five years.

- The circulation of US dailies fell -1.9 percent in 2006 and -5.18 percent
over five years. Most of the decline came in evening dailies, which saw a
year-on-year circulation decline of -4.62 percent, compared with only -1.48
percent for morning dailies. Over the past five years, evening dailies
declined -19.62 percent, compared with a -2.52 percent drop for morning
newspapers.

- In Japan, newspaper sales fell by -0.83 percent in 2006. Over five years,
sales were down -2.42 percent.

- China newspaper sales continue to perform well, up +2.27 and +15.53
percent over one and five years.

-In Latin America, where it has been difficult to obtain reliable data,
Brazilian newspaper sales were up + 6.50 percent in 2006 and up +3.70
percent over five years. Colombia newspaper sales increased 3.23 percent in
2006 but were down -11.1 percent over five years.

- Indian newspaper sales increased 12.93 percent in 2006 and 53.63 percent
in the five-year period.

- Elsewhere in Asia, sales were up in Malaysia (+1.82 percent), Singapore
(+4.06 percent), Bangladesh (+8.3 percent) and Korea (+10.59 percent) over
one year, and down in Taiwan (-6.67 percent). Over five years, sales rose in
Taiwan (+2.44 percent), Malaysia (+19.97 percent), Singapore (0.48 percent),
Thailand (+12.31 percent), Bangladesh (+30 percent) and Korea (+19 percent).

- Sales in Australia recorded an increase of + 2.95 percent in 2006 and were
stable over five years, while New Zealand newspaper sales were down -1.10
year-on-year and down -3.22 percent over five years.

-In Africa, sales were up 8.24 percent in South Africa in 2006, and 43.18
percent over five years. Sales were stable in Nigeria and Kenya in 2006 and
up 7.89 percent and 1.90 percent respectively over five years.

- The Japanese remain the world's greatest newspaper buyers, with 630.9
daily sales per thousand adults. They are followed by Norway with 601.2
sales per thousand, Colombia with 587.8, Finland with 514.7 and Sweden with
466.2.

- The Belgians spend the most time with their newspapers -- 54 minutes a day
-- followed by the Chinese, Finns and Brazilians, with 48 minutes each, on
average.

-Sunday newspaper circulations declined -3.69 percent in 2006 and -6.2
percent over five years. The United States and the United Kingdom remain the
largest markets for Sunday papers by far.

- Circulation for non-daily newspapers rose 7.29 percent over one year and
18.68 percent over five years.

On advertising

- Global newspaper advertising revenues have increased for four straight
years and were up +3.77 percent in 2006.

- Newspapers share of the world ad market held relatively steady with 29.6
percent, marginally down from 29.8 percent in 2005. Newspapers remain the
world's second largest advertising medium, after television, with more
revenue that radio, cinema, outdoor, magazines and the internet combined.
When newspapers and magazines are combined, print is the world's largest
advertising medium, with a 42 percent share, compared to 38 percent for
television.

Seventeen countries saw newspaper advertising market share growth in 2006:
Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Greece, Indonesia, India,
Hong Kong, Colombia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar,
United Arab Emirates, and South Africa.

Over five years, newspapers in 12 countries and territories saw increased
market share: Austria, Denmark, Greece, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Taiwan,
Puerto Rico, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

- Newspaper advertising revenues in the USA, by far the largest newspaper
advertising market in the world, decreased by -1.68 percent in 2006 but
increased by +5.69 percent over the last five years.

- In Japan, ad expenditures declined in 2006 by -3.20 percent but were up 10
percent over the past five years.

- China saw an increase in advertising revenues of +16 percent last year,
and +58 percent over five years.

- Newspaper markets in the European Union saw a +1.36 percent increase in
newspaper advertising revenues in 2006, and a +39.54 percent increase over
five years.

Twenty-one of 24 EU countries for which data was available showed increases
in advertising revenue in 2006: Austria +5.7 percent, Belgium +19 percent,
Bulgaria +71.90 percent, Czech Republic +12.47 percent, Denmark +0.53
percent, Estonia +15.64 percent, Finland +2.50 percent, France +1.37
percent, Germany +1.13 percent, Greece +1.45 percent, , Ireland +4.49
percent, Italy +3.77 percent, Latvia +4.87 percent, Lithuania +6.12 percent,
Luxembourg +43 percent, Poland +11 percent, Romania + 11.18 percent,
Slovakia +11 percent, Slovenia +20.96 percent, Spain +0.21 percent, and
Sweden +0.05 percent,

Newspaper advertising revenue declined in Hungary (-6.49 percent), The
Netherlands (-0.46 percent), and the United Kingdom (-4 percent).

Over five years, advertising revenues was up in all 23 countries for which
data was available: Austria +50.38 percent, Belgium +107.5 percent, Bulgaria
+3.98 percent, the Czech Republic +91.74 percent, Denmark +42.71 percent,
Estonia +124.68 percent, Finland +2.5 percent, France +33.80 percent,
Germany +20.14 percent, Greece +57.20 percent, Hungary +62.88 percent,
Ireland +63 percent, Italy +39.53 percent, Latvia +49.66 percent, Lithuania
+71.85 percent, Luxembourg +43.24 percent, Netherlands 54.74 percent,
Poland +200 percent, Romania +111.57 percent, Slovakia +179 percent, Spain
+0.51 percent, Sweden +46.7 percent, and the United Kingdom +25 percent.

- In India, newspaper advertising revenues increased +23.18 percent over one
year and +85 percent over the last five. South Africa also saw remarkable
gains -- +20.71 percent over one year and 141 percent over five years.
Turkey's percentage gains were +3.01 percent in 2006 and +152 percent over
the past five years.

- In Australia revenues were down +2.77 percent over one year but rose
+65.44 percent over five years. New Zealand saw a marginal +0.84 percent
gain last year and an increase of 33.28 percent over five years.

Free Dailies

- A total of 287 free daily newspapers had a combined circulation of 40.7
million daily, a circulation increase of 55 percent over one year and 241
percent over five years. Twenty-seven million of those daily copies are
distributed in Europe alone.

- The five largest free dailies are Metro in the United Kingdom (1.13
million copies), Leggo in Italy (1.05 million), 20 Minutos in Spain
(997,000), Que! in Spain (970,000), and ADN in Spain (914,000).

-The World Press Trends 2007 edition is now available at
http://www.wan-press.org/worldpresstrends or by contacting the World
Association of Newspapers, 7 rue Geoffroy Saint Hilaire, 75005 Paris France.
Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00, Fax +33 1 47 42 49 48. E-mail:
contact_us@wan.asso.fr.

In addition to much more data, country by country, the 700-page publication
includes information on:

Non-daily publications, which in some markets are performing better than
dailies;

Advertising expenditure forecasts for newspapers and magazines, together
with total spending forecasts, for 2006, 2007 and 2008;

Trends in format and cover price of daily newspapers; in colour capability;
in media consumption, in display and classified advertising income, in
distribution of sales between single copy and subscription;

Data on the top-selling titles in each country, the top sectors for
advertising in newspapers and the major advertisers;

Information on the tax rates and conditions for the press, on subsidies, on
ownership regulations, and more.

The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry,
defends and promotes press freedom world-wide. It represents 18,000
newspapers; its membership includes 76 national newspaper associations,
newspaper companies and individual newspaper executives in 102 countries, 12
news agencies and 10 regional and world-wide press groups.

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Director of Communications, WAN, 7 rue Geoffroy
St Hilaire, 75005 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00. Fax: +33 1 47 42 49
48. Mobile: +33 6 10 28 97 36. E-mail: lkilman@wan.asso.fr

PLEASE NOTE THE EMBARGO: FOR Release: 13h00 GMT Monday, 4 June, 2007 (14h00
in Cape Town) Time set by source