Modest growth in 2007
Circulation of free dailies reached 42 million in 2007. The year, however, showed almost the slowest rise in total circulation (13%) ever. Only in 1996 (8%) and in 2003 (10%) growth was less. Unless new markets (Germany? China? India?) are opening up, growth for 2008 will also be modest. But then again, a two digit growth is still pretty impressive. (click on graph for better picture)
The year showed a substantial number of closures, beginning with Metro Poland, after a six year advertising war with publisher Agora; and ending with the shutting down of City Göteburg by Bonnier. More than a dozen titles (30 editions) closed down this year.
In Denmark four titles vanished. National door-to-door daily Dato closed down after eight months while local titles Centrum (two editions), Xtra (Odense) and JP Arhus+ merged with 24timer. Free economic paper ErhvervsBladet moved to a paid model. Free circulation dropped from almost two million to less than 1.4 million.
In Spain the Elche edition of Metro, El Micalet in Valencia and Que Pasa in Malaga were closed. In Austria OK Graz and Kärnten by Styria closed after Heute terminated the Graz edition. In Germany Business News and Die Sportzeitung closed down. In Portugal Diario Desportivo went bankrupt; Italian sports24 closed down. In the UK Argus Lite went weekly. In Budapest Busz was only around for some weeks.
It should be added that there were more launches than closures: Croatia, Matin Plus and BretagnePlus in France, a lite edition of Sübdeutsche Zeitung, the first Luxemburg and Slovenian free papers, two titles in the Netherlands, two in Portugal, one in Romania, five new editions in Spain, .ch and News in Switzerland, a new local title in the UK, Obzor in the Ukraïne and five new editions for 15minut. In total more than 25 new titels (70 editions) were introduced this year.
In the US La Estrella went weekly but Boston saw a second free daily. In Canada Metro, 24heures and Rush Hour launched six new editions. Metro launched in Brazil. An economic free daily in Seoul shut down after a few months but a evening free daily was introduced while in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan new titles were launched. South Africa saw two titles, as well as one in Morocco and two in Israel. In Australia mX launched a third edition.
December 22nd, 2007 at 7:52 pm
[...] Modest growth in 2007. That’s in freesheet circulation, according to Newspaper Innovation, which reports circulation of free dailies hit 42 million copies last year. [...]