Table of Contents
Introduction and Abbreviations
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- Definition
- Consumer research
- Socio-economic group
- ACORN
- Abbreviations
Executive Summary
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- A healthier market
- An efficient market
- Online presence
- Consumer attitudes
- The future
Market Drivers
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- News in the community
- Attitudes towards regional press
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- Figure 1: Attitudes towards newspapers, 1997-2003
- Household composition
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- Figure 2: UK household structure, 1992-2007
- The population structure by age
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- Figure 3: Trends and projections in total UK population, by age group, 1998-2007
- Access to the Internet
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- Figure 4: British Internet penetration, 2001-03
- Competition for leisure time
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- Figure 5: UK recreational and cultural spending, at current prices, 1998-2002
- The revenue stream
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- Figure 6: Average regional newspaper cover prices, by type, 1998-2002
- Newspapers and transport
Market Size and Trends
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- Eroding sales
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- Figure 7: Annual sales of paid-for regional newspapers, by volume, 1978-2003
- Figure 8: Annual indexed sales of paid-for regional newspapers (base year 1998), by volume, 1978-2003
- Ownership consolidation and concentration
- Decelerating pace of change
- Strong growth in advertising expenditure
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- Figure 9: Consumer and advertising expenditure on regional newspapers, at current prices, 1998-2003
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- Figure 10: Comparison of consumer and advertising expenditure on regional newspapers, at current prices, 1998-2003
- Strengthening local and regional identities
- Advertising revenue increasing in importance
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- Figure 11: Consumer and advertising expenditure on regional newspapers, at constant 1998 prices, 1998-2003
- Figure 12: Share of consumer and advertising expenditure on regional newspapers, at current and constant 1998 prices, 1998-2002
- Easing pressures
- Display losing out to classified
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- Figure 13: Regional newspaper advertising expenditure, by type of advertisement, at current prices, 1998-2003
- Figure 14: Comparison of classified and display advertising revenues for the regional press, at current prices, 1998-2003
- Regional press immune from wider economic woes
- Regional ad revenue more resilient than nationals
- Effectiveness of colour print
- Recruitment advertising dominates revenue
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- Figure 15: Regional newspaper classified advertising revenue, by type, 1998-2002
- Slowdown in property advertising growth
- Motor advertising static
- Competition from classified advertising magazines
Market Segmentation
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- Dailies dominate circulation
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- Figure 16: Total regional newspaper market, by type of title and weekly circulation, July 2003
- Figure 17: Total title and weekly circulation of regional newspaper market, by type of title, July 2003
- Free weekly titles dwindle in number
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- Figure 18: Total number of regional newspaper titles, by type, 1995-2003*
The Supply Structure
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- Circulation figures for top ten paid-for titles
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- Figure 19: Top daily paid-for titles, by circulation, by type, January-June 2001-03
- Little change in top ten titles
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- Figure 20: Top ten regional newspaper publishers, by circulation, July 2001 and July 2003*
- Two substantial acquisitions
- Consolidation continuing, but at a slower pace
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- Figure 21: Total top ten UK regional newspaper publishers’ number of titles and weekly circulation, 2001 and 2003
- Share of dailies – top ten regional publishers
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- Figure 22: Top ten regional newspaper publishers’ market share of daily titles, July 2003
- Share of weekly paid-for titles – top ten regional publishers
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- Figure 23: Top ten regional newspaper publishers’ market share of weekly paid-for titles, July 2003
- Share of weekly free titles – top ten regional publishers
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- Figure 24: Top ten regional newspaper publishers’ market share of weekly free titles, July 2003
- Publisher profiles
- Trinity Mirror plc
- Newsquest Media Group (Gannett UK)
- Northcliffe Newspapers Group Ltd
- Johnston Press plc
- Associated Newspapers Ltd
- Guardian Media Group plc
- Archant
- The Midland News Association Ltd
- Independent News & Media
- DC Thomson & Co
Advertising and Promotion
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- Spend lower than on nationals
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- Figure 25: Main monitored media advertising expenditure by regional newspapers, 1998-2003
- High degree of concentration in adspend
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- Figure 26: Leading advertisers, 2001 and 2002
- Other promotional activity
Distribution
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- Little change in distribution patterns
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- Figure 27: Retail sales* of regional newspapers, by type of outlet, 2001 and 2003
- Figure 28: Market share of retail outlets for regional newspaper sales*, 2003 (est)
- CTNs/convenience stores
- Supermarkets
- Subscription
- Home delivery
The Consumer
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- Regular readership patterns
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- Figure 29: Regular newspaper readership, 1999-2003
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- Figure 30: Newspaper readership, by type, by gender, age and socio-economic group, 2003
- Figure 31: Newspaper readership, by age, 2003
- Figure 32: Newspaper readership, by type, by lifestage, presence of children and Mintel's Special Groups, 2003
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- Figure 33: Newspaper readership, by type, by working status and household size, 2003
- Figure 34: Newspaper readership, by type, by region and ACORN categories, 2003
- Figure 35: Newspaper readership, by type, by media usage, commercial TV viewing and supermarkets used, 2003
The Consumer – Typologies
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- Attitudes towards newspapers
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- Figure 36: Attitudes towards newspapers, by gender, 2003
- The importance of content
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- Figure 37: Aspects considered important when buying regional/local newspaper, 2001 and 2003
- Readership typologies
- Readership typologies by demographics
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- Figure 38: Interest typologies, by gender, age and socio-economic group, 2003
- Figure 39: Interest typologies, by working status and household size, 2003
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- Figure 40: Interest typologies, by lifestage, presence of children and Mintel's Special Groups, 2003
- Figure 41: Interest typologies, by region and ACORN categories, 2003
- Figure 42: Interest typologies, by media use, 2003
- Readership typologies by newspaper readership
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- Figure 43: Interest typologies, by newspaper readership, 2003
The Future
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- Limited volume growth forecast
- Localisation growing in strength
- Increased investment benefits readers and advertisers
- Online presence complements core product
- Increasing advertising revenue will offset volume decline
- A strong position
Forecast
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- Steady growth for values to 2007
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- Figure 44: Forecast of the UK regional newspaper market, by value, 2003-07
- Figure 45: Forecast of the UK regional newspaper market, by volume, 2003-07
- Importance of heavy investment
- Input factors
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