Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Rapid decline in print circulation to continue
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- Figure 1: Forecast for the annual circulation of print regional newspapers in the UK, 2010-20
- Less than half are regular readers
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- Figure 2: Regional newspaper formats read, April 2015
- Few willing to pay for digital
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- Figure 3: Willingness to pay, April 2015
- Most read print at home
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- Figure 4: Print behaviour, April 2015
- People find it important to be aware of local issues
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- Figure 5: Attitudes towards regional newspapers, April 2015
- Most interest for stories on local people
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- Figure 6: Sections read, April 2015
Issues and Insights
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- Is free the best option?
- The facts
- The implications
- Boosting digital further
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Rapid decline in print circulation to continue
- Digital browsers booming
- Cover prices continue to rise…
- …but Trinity Mirror launches Britain’s biggest free weekly paper
- Over three quarters own a smartphone
- BBC’s Local Live to increase links to regional press
- More newspapers go behind metered paywall
Market Drivers
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- Cover prices continue to rise…
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- Figure 7: UK cover price for leading regional dailies, December 2013 and December 2014
- …but Trinity Mirror launches Britain’s biggest free weekly paper
- Over three quarters own a smartphone
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- Figure 8: Household ownership of consumer technology products, April 2014 and April 2015
- BBC’s Local Live increases links to regional press
- More newspapers go behind metered paywall
- Facebook now publishing news on network
- Strikes as job cuts continue
Market Size and Forecast
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- Rapid decline in print circulation to continue
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- Figure 9: Forecast for the annual circulation of print regional newspapers in the UK, 2010-20
- Figure 10: Forecast for the annual circulation of print regional newspapers in the UK, 2010-20
- Digital seeing significant gains
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- Figure 11: Forecast for the volume of daily unique browsers of regional newspaper digital networks, 2010-20
- Figure 12: Forecast for the volume of daily unique browsers of regional newspaper digital networks, 2010-20
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Evening titles see worse declines
- Trinity Mirror overtakes Newsquest
- Regional newspapers look to appeal to Millennials
- Local World introduces Evening app
- Liverpool Echo asks readers to fill blank pages
- My Manifesto project launched by Trinity Mirror
- Manchester Evening News leads the way on social media
Launch Activity and Innovations
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- Regional newspapers get political
- My Manifesto project launched by Trinity Mirror
- Johnston Press launches video-based election website
- Regional newspapers look to appeal to Millennials
- Local World launches website of ‘weird and wonderful’ regional news
- Johnston Press launches online-led title for Belfast
- Local World introduces evening app
- Liverpool Echo asks readers to fill blank pages
Market Share
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- Evening titles see worse declines
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- Figure 13: Circulation trends for leading regional newspaper print titles, December 2013 and December 2014
- Trinity Mirror overtakes Newsquest
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- Figure 14: Leading regional press online networks, daily unique browsers, 2010-14
Brand Communication and Promotion
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- Manchester Evening News leads the way on social media
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- Figure 15: Facebook ‘likes’ and Twitter followers for selected regional newspapers, July 2015
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Less than half are regular readers
- Few willing to pay for digital
- Smartphones catching up with laptops
- Most read print at home except in London
- Nearly half access regional news via social media
- Customisable apps have potential with younger people
- Stories on local people most popular
Formats Read
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- Less than half are regular readers
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- Figure 16: Regional newspaper formats read, April 2015
- Big rise in Scottish regional newspaper readers
Willingness to Pay
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- Few willing to pay for digital…
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- Figure 17: Willingness to pay, April 2015
- …but younger people are more willing to pay
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- Figure 18: Willingness to pay, by age, April 2015
Devices Used
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- Smartphone catching up with laptop
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- Figure 19: Devices used. April 2015
Print Newspaper Behaviour
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- Most read print at home except in London…
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- Figure 20: Print behaviour, April 2015
- …but younger people are more inclined to read print while commuting
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- Figure 21: Print behaviour, by age, April 2015
Social Media
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- Nearly half access regional news via social media
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- Figure 22: Social media, April 2015
Attitudes towards Regional Newspapers
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- People find it important to be aware of local issues
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- Figure 23: Attitudes towards regional newspapers, April 2015
- Customisable apps have potential with younger people
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- Figure 24: Attitudes towards regional newspapers, by formats read, April 2015
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- Figure 25: Attitudes towards regional newspapers, by age, April 2015
- Content from readers can be a useful tool
- Resistance to advertising
Sections Read
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- Most interest for stories on local people
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- Figure 26: Sections read, April 2015
- Jobs and property have digital potential
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- Figure 27: Sections read, by format read, April 2015
- Sports a key online area
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Abbreviations
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Market size
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- Figure 28: Best- and worst-case forecast for annual circulation of print regional newspapers in the UK, 2015-20
- Figure 29: Best- and worst-case forecast for the volume of daily regional unique browsers, 2015-20
- Fan chart forecast
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