Circulation up in Asia, down in US, Europe
Circulation up in Asia, down in US, Europe
GOTEBORG, Sweden: Global newspaper circulation is rising, buoyed by demand in Asia and South America — belying predictions of the demise of print journalism, officials said at the start of an international newspaper conference.
Circulation of paid newspapers rose 2.6% worldwide in 2007, with the biggest jump in India and China, which is now the largest market for newspapers with 107 million copies sold daily, according to a report by the World Association of Newspapers.
However, readership continued to slip in the US and Europe, where traditional dailies face stiff competition from free newspapers and digital media, the study showed.
The strong sales in Asia, which is home to 74 of the world’s 100 best-selling dailies, contrasted starkly with declining newspaper readership in the West. Last year, circulation fell 3% in the US and 1.9% in Europe, the report showed; over the past five years, circulation has been down 8% in the US. Advertising followed a similar trend. Newspaper advertising revenue rose in all regions except the US, where it fell 3% in 2007, the report said.
Meanwhile, Internet advertising revenue worldwide was up 32%, showing the rapid growth of online media. Research presented at the conference also indicated an accelerating shift from print to online media, and that editors are increasingly aware of the need to develop multimedia platforms in order to reach new audiences.
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