Table of Contents
Introduction
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- Definition
- Abbreviations
Executive Summary
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- The market
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- Figure 1: Forecast trends in circulation for regional newspapers*, 2007-17
- Market factors
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- Figure 2: Technology ownership* levels, January 2013
- Companies, brands and innovation
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- Figure 3: Top ten regional newspaper groups, by weekly circulation numbers, December 2012
- The consumer
- Digital penetration of local/regional titles lags behind
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- Figure 4: News sources used, December 2012
- Paid-for titles preferred over freesheets
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- Figure 5: Types of local/regional newspaper read, December 2012
- Making it easy to read local/regional news is key
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- Figure 6: Attitudes towards local/regional newspapers, December 2012
- Two fifths believe articles are influenced by advertisers
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- Figure 7: Agreement with statements about local/regional newspapers, December 2012
- Readers want more local news
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- Figure 8: Changes to balance of local/regional newspaper content desired by readers, December 2012
- Half of news users would pay to access local/regional digital content
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- Figure 9: Attitudes towards paying for digital local/regional news, December 2012
- Unlimited access subscription is favoured payment method
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- Figure 10: Preferred payment method for digital news, by paid-for local/regional newspaper read, December 2012
- What we think
Issues in the Market
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- How can regional newspaper publishers make the most of rising mobile device ownership
- How can publishers respond to declining print revenues?
- How should publishers monetise their digital audience?
- What kind of content should publishers be focusing on?
Trend Application
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- Trend: Carnivore, Herbivore… Locavore
- Trend: Make it Mine
- Mintel Futures: Access Anything, Anywhere
Market Drivers
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- Key points
- Continuing broadband growth drives switch to digital
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- Figure 11: Trends in broadband penetration, 2007-12
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- Figure 12: Technology products in household, January 2013
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- Figure 13: Personal technology ownership, September 2012
- Regional titles are still good value for money
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- Figure 14: Basic UK cover price for leading regional dailies, July 2012
- Monetising digital content
- Government clamps down on town hall Pravdas
- Local TV offers cross-media ownership possibilities
- Free daily titles march on
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- Figure 15: Average daily distribution of audited free dailies*, 2007-12
Who’s Innovating?
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- Key points
- Publishers seek to diversify away from the core product
- Digital developments
- Big focus on tablet apps in response to growing ownership levels
- Responsive technology to replace apps?
- Free dailies also encouraging digital migration
- Hyper-local and Citizen Journalism: the way of the future?
- The sweet smell of success
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Print circulation continues to fall…
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- Figure 16: Trends in circulation and number of titles for regional newspapers*, 2006-12
- … while digital audience grows
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- Figure 17: Trends in numbers of daily unique browsers for major regional news networks*, 2008-12
- Forecast
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- Figure 18: Forecast trends in circulation for regional newspapers*, 2007-17
Segment Performance
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- Key points
- Economic weakness hits freesheets hardest
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- Figure 19: Trends in the structure of the regional newspaper industry, by number of titles, 2007-12*
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- Figure 20: Regional weekly circulation trends*, by frequency of publication, 2007-12
- Ad revenue slump hits titles where it hurts
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- Figure 21: Trends in regional newspaper advertising revenues*, 2007-13
- Classified takes the biggest hit
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- Figure 22: Trends in regional newspaper advertising revenues*, by type, 2007-13
- Recruitment and property advertising see the largest declines
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- Figure 23: Trends in regional newspaper classified advertising revenues*, by type, 2006-11
Market Share
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- Key points
- Johnston Press is most prolific regional print publisher
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- Figure 24: Top ten regional newspaper groups, by numbers of titles published, December 2012
- Trinity Mirror the clear leader on print circulation
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- Figure 25: Top ten regional newspaper groups, by weekly circulation numbers, December 2012
- Johnston Press leads the digital race
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- Figure 26: Leading regional press online networks, daily unique browsers, 2010-12
- Morning daily titles hold up better than evenings
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- Figure 27: Circulation trends for leading daily regional newspaper titles, 2011-12
Companies and Products
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- Trinity Mirror plc
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- Figure 28: Average net circulation figures for Trinity Mirror plc’s regional daily titles, 2011-12
- Figure 29: Key financial data for Trinity Mirror plc, 2007-12
- Gannett UK Ltd/Newsquest plc
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- Figure 30: Average net circulation of Newsquest’s daily regional titles, six months to June 2011-12
- Figure 31: Key financial data for Gannett UK Limited, 2007-11
- Local World
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- Figure 32: Average net circulation of Northcliffe Media Limited’s daily titles, six months to June 2011-12
- Figure 33: Average net circulation of Iliffe News and Media’s regional daily titles, six months to June 2011-12
- Johnston Press plc
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- Figure 34: Average net circulation of Johnston Press’ regional daily titles, six months to June 2011-12
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- Figure 35: Key financial data for Johnston Press plc, 2006-11
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- Figure 36: Johnston Press plc revenues by sector, HY 2011 vs HY 2012
- Figure 37: Johnston Press plc advertising revenues by sector, HY 2011 vs HY 2012
- Associated Newspapers Ltd/DMGT
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- Figure 38: Average net circulation, Metro, 2010-11
- Figure 39: Key financials for Associated Newspapers Limited, 2007-11
- Evening Standard Ltd
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- Figure 40: Average net circulation figures for London Evening Standard, Jan-Jun 2011-12
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- Figure 41: Key financials for Evening Standard Limited, 2010-11
- Archant Ltd
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- Figure 42: Key financial data for Archant Ltd, 2007-11
- DC Thomson & Co Ltd
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- Figure 43: Average net circulation figures for DC Thomson & Co ltd’s regional daily titles, 2011-12
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- Figure 44: Key financial data for DC Thomson & Company Ltd, 2011-12
- The Midland News Association Ltd
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- Figure 45: Average net circulation of The Midland News Association’s daily regional titles, 2011-12
- Figure 46: Key financials for The Midland News Association Limited, 2007-11
- Tindle Newspapers Ltd
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- Figure 47: Key financials for Tindle Newspapers Limited, 2011-12
Brand Communication and Promotion
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- Key points
- Advertising support for regional newspapers falls away
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- Figure 48: Main monitored media adspend on regional newspapers, 2008-12
- Switch away from outdoor towards radio
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- Figure 49: Main monitored media adspend for regional newspapers by media type, 2009-12
- Main media promotion is sporadic at best
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- Figure 50: Main monitored media adspend for regional newspapers by top 10 titles 2009-12
- Radio chosen by most of the top ten advertisers
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- Figure 51: Main monitored media adspend for regional newspapers by type for top 10 titles, 2012
- Social media adoption by regional newspapers is patchy
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- Figure 52: Facebook “likes” and Twitter follower for selected regional newspapers, January 2013*
News Sources Used
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- Key points
- Digital penetration of local/regional titles lags behind
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- Figure 53: News sources used, December 2012
- Print readers of local/regional newspapers
- Users of local/regional newspaper websites
- Users of local/regional newspaper apps
- Users of local/regional newspaper social media
Types of Local/Regional Print Newspaper Read
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- Key points
- Paid-for titles preferred over freesheets
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- Figure 54: Types of local/regional newspaper read, December 2012
- Weekly newspaper readers
- Morning newspaper readers
- Evening newspaper readers
- Website users more likely to also read paid-for print editions
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- Figure 55: Types of local/regional newspaper read, by news sources used (local/regional newspaper), December 2012
- Considerable overlap between different publications
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- Figure 56: Types of local/regional newspaper read, by paid-for local/regional newspaper read, December 2012
- Figure 57: Types of local/regional newspaper read, by free local/regional newspaper read, December 2012
Attitudes Towards Local/Regional News
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- Key points
- Making it easy to read local/regional news is key
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- Figure 58: Attitudes towards local/regional newspapers, December 2012
Attitudes Towards Local/Regional Newspapers
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- Key points
- Two fifths believe articles are influenced by advertisers
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- Figure 59: Agreement with statements about local/regional newspapers, December 2012
- People who pay for local/regional news have strongest opinions
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- Figure 60: Agreement with statements about local/regional newspapers, by paid-for local/regional newspaper read, December 2012
- Figure 61: Agreement with statements about local/regional newspapers, by free local/regional newspaper read, December 2012
Consumer Content Preferences
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- Key points
- Readers want more local news
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- Figure 62: Changes to balance of local/regional newspaper content desired by readers, December 2012
- Local news appeals to an older demographic
- Jobs a good way to attract a more youthful readership?
- Culture offers potential to entice female readers
- Motoring and sport prove divisive
Attitudes Towards Paying for Digital News
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- Key points
- Half of news users would pay to access local/regional digital content
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- Figure 63: Attitudes towards paying for digital local/regional news, December 2012
- Daily paid-for readers most open to paying for digital local/regional news
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- Figure 64: Attitudes towards paying for digital news, by paid-for local/regional newspaper read, December 2012
- Figure 65: Attitudes towards paying for digital news, by free local/regional newspaper read, December 2012
Preferred Payment Method for Digital News
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- Key points
- Unlimited access subscription is favoured payment method
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- Figure 66: Preferred payment method for digital news, by paid-for local/regional newspaper read, December 2012
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- Figure 67: Preferred payment method for digital news, by free local/regional newspaper read, December 2012
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Figure 68: Market size forecast scenarios for regional newspapers, 2012-17
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Appendix – News Sources Used
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- Figure 69: News sources used – Local/regional newspaper, by demographics, December 2012
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Appendix – Types of Local/Regional Newspaper Read
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- Figure 70: Paid-for local/regional newspaper read, by demographics, December 2012
- Figure 71: Free local/regional newspaper read, by demographics, December 2012
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Appendix – Attitudes Towards Local/Regional News
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- Figure 72: Most popular attitudes towards local/regional news, by demographics, December 2012
- Figure 73: Next most popular attitudes towards local/regional news, by demographics, December 2012
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- Figure 74: Attitudes towards local/regional news, by paid-for local/regional newspaper read, December 2012
- Figure 75: Attitudes towards local/regional news, by free local/regional newspaper read, December 2012
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Appendix – Attitudes Towards Local/Regional Newspapers
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- Figure 76: Attitudes towards local/regional newspapers, by demographics, December 2012
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Appendix – Consumer Content Preferences
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- Figure 77: Changes to balance of local/regional newspaper content desired by readers of national news and regional news, by demographics, December 2012
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- Figure 78: Changes to balance of local/regional newspaper content desired by readers of local news and local politics/council affairs, by demographics, December 2012
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- Figure 79: Changes to balance of local/regional newspaper content desired by readers of property and jobs, by demographics, December 2012
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- Figure 80: Changes to balance of local/regional newspaper content desired by readers of motoring and culture, by demographics, December 2012
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- Figure 81: Changes to balance of local/regional newspaper content desired by readers of sport and business, by demographics, December 2012
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- Figure 82: Changes to balance of local/regional newspaper content desired by readers of travel and letters to the editor, by demographics, December 2012
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- Figure 83: Changes to balance of local/regional newspaper content desired by readers, by paid-for local/regional newspaper read, December 2012
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- Figure 84: Changes to balance of local/regional newspaper content desired by readers, by free local/regional newspaper read, December 2012
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Appendix – Attitudes Towards Paying for Digital News
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- Figure 85: Most popular attitudes towards paying for local/regional news, by demographics, December 2012
- Figure 86: Next most popular attitudes towards paying for local/regional news, by demographics, December 2012
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Appendix – Preferred Payment Method for Digital News
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- Figure 87: Preferred payment method for digital news, by demographics, December 2012
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