Regional Newspapers - UK - May 2009

ISSUES IN THE MARKET
Main issues
Definition
Abbreviations
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
Harness expertise
Slow news
MARKET IN BRIEF
The current market
Adding value and quality
Consumer views
How companies are performing
Figure 1: Top ten regional newspaper publishers, by circulation, 2005-09
Looking ahead
INTERNAL MARKET ENVIRONMENT
Key points
Regionals more exposed
Time for a more radical approach?
The opposing view
New tools for advertisers
Capturing change
More consolidation?
Diversity for consumers
Figure 2: Types of websites browsed for information purposes in the last three months, October 2008 and January 2009
Accessing the world
Figure 3: Internet penetration at home/work/place of study or elsewhere, by demographic sub-group, 2003-09
Online and print opportunities
Figure 4: Selected newspaper features adults are ‘very interested’ in, 2004-08
Figure 5: Other newspaper topics adults are ‘very interested’ in, 2004-08
More scope for home delivery?
Figure 6: Where newspapers are purchased, 2008
BROADER MARKET ENVIRONMENT
Key points
Breathing space
Figure 7: Age structure of the UK population, 2004-14
The other plus point
Figure 8: UK population, by socio-economic group, 2004-14
Economic slowdown
Figure 9: Trends in GDP, PDI and consumer expenditure, 2004-14
Property ads suffer
Figure 10: Trends in the housing market, 2004-14
Figure 11: Number of UK households, by size, 2004-14
COMPETITIVE CONTEXT
Key points
Consumers and their media
Figure 12: Agreement with attitudes to news and newspapers, 2008
Online options
Figure 13: Selected examples of websites and blogs by topic*, 2008
But newspapers compete strongly
Figure 14: Selected examples of multi-platform data*, June-Dec 2008
Competition from a newer source
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN THE MARKET
Strengths
Unmatched focus on local news and events
Local sports in detail
Can read anywhere, any time
Newspapers offer more – in print and online
The look and feel is appealing
Weaknesses
Lack of interest
Local papers are too parochial
Why pay?
Newspapers are too slow
Too little time
WHO’S INNOVATING?
Key points
Going hyperlocal
Hyperlocal – the next step?
Another impetus to growth?
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Key points
The structure of the regional press
Figure 15: Free and paid-for titles, 2005-09
The paid-for component
Figure 16: Annual sales of paid-for regional newspapers, by volume, 2004-14
Overall loss cloaks a mixed picture
Are regionals being hit harder than nationals?
The profit factor
Figure 17: Selected regional and other publishers, turnover and profit, 2008
Future prospects
A smaller complementary future in print
Working with other media
Considering other business models
SEGMENT PERFORMANCE
Key points
Ad revenue overview – a grim picture
Figure 18: Regional newspaper advertising revenue, by type of advertisement, at current prices, 2004-09
One bright spot
All classified sectors hit
Figure 19: Regional newspaper classified advertising revenue, by type, 2005-09
The weeklies feel the crunch
Figure 20: Regional total weekly circulation and titles, by type, 2005-09
Can the dailies provide a way forward?
An overview of the leading paid-for titles
Figure 21: Top daily paid-for titles, by circulation*, July to December 2006-08
Wide variations
The Manchester Evening News
All change at the Evening Standard
MARKET SHARE
Key points
Concentration of ownership
Figure 22: Summary of market share, by circulation and titles, 2009
Comparisons are a little tricky
COMPANIES AND PRODUCTS
Key points
Who’s who at the top
Figure 23: Total top ten uk regional newspaper publishers’ number of titles and weekly circulation, 2005-09*
Trinity Mirror
Newsquest Media Group
Johnston Press
A&N Media – Associated Newspapers
 EVENING PRESS
A&N Media – Northcliffe Media
Guardian Media Group
Archant
The Midland News Association
DC Thomson
Tindle Newspapers
NEWSPAPER READERSHIP
Key points
Downward trend with one exception
Figure 24: Type of newspaper regularly read, 2003-08
Do local, regional and national readerships vary?
Figure 25: Key demographic differences, by newspaper sector, December 2008
How newspapers fit into lifestyles
Figure 26: Agreement with local newspaper lifestyle statements, 2008
What about the next generation?
Figure 27: Agreement with selected lifestyle statements, 7-10s and 11-14s, 2004-08
The under 20s online
Figure 28: The 11-19s who use the internet for newspapers/news, 2004-08
FAVOURED CONTENT
Key points
Regional and local priorities
Figure 29: Important sections when choosing a regional/local newspaper to read, December 2008
Consistent differences over time
Figure 30: Important factors when choosing a regional/local newspaper to read, key demographic groups, December 2008
VIEWS OF NEWSPAPERS
Key points
What to avoid!
Figure 31: Views on reading and buying newspapers, December 2008
The strength of print…
…alongside the shift to digital
Regional versus national readers
Figure 32: Views on reading & buying newspapers, by type of newspapers regularly read, December 2008
WHO ARE THE KEENER READERS?
Key points
Don’t jump to conclusions
Regional and national views on newspapers
Figure 33: Views on reading & buying newspapers, byregional/local and national readers, December 2008
Regional and national priorities
Figure 34: Important sections in reading a regional/local newspaper and a national newspaper, December 2008
Breadth of interests and commitment
Figure 35: Newspapers read regularly by repertoire of important sections in reading a regional/local newspaper, December 2008
Commitment and discrimination
Figure 36: Views on reading & buying newspapers, by repertoire of important sections in reading a regional/local newspaper, December 2008
APPENDIX – BROADER MARKET ENVIRONMENT
Figure 37: Trends in unemployment, 2004-14
APPENDIX – SEGMENT PERFORMANCE
Figure 38: Total number of regional newspaper titles, grouped by type, 2005-09
Figure 39: Circulation by type, 2005-09
APPENDIX – COMPANIES AND PRODUCTS
Figure 40: Circulation distribution summary, by publisher and type of title, 2009
Figure 41: Title distribution summary, by publisher and type of title, 2009
APPENDIX – NEWSPAPER READERSHIP
Figure 42: Type of newspaper read, by demographic sub-group, December 2008
Figure 43: Trends in agreement with newspaper lifestyle statements, 2004-08
Figure 44: Agreement with newspaper lifestyle statements, by demographic sub-group, 2008
Figure 45: Agreement with newspaper lifestyle statements, by demographic sub-group, 2008
Figure 46: 11-19s who use the internet for newspaper/news by demographic sub-group, 2008
Figure 47: Agreement with selected lifestyle statements, by demographic sub-group, 11-14s, 2008
Figure 48: Agreement with selected lifestyle statements, by demographics, 7-10s, 2008
APPENDIX – FAVOURED CONTENT
Figure 49: Important sections in reading a regional newspaper, by type of newspapers regularly read, December 2008
Figure 50: Important sections in reading a regional/local newspaper, by demographic sub-group, December 2008
Figure 51: Other important sections in reading a regional/local newspaper, by demographic sub-group, December 2008
APPENDIX – VIEWS OF NEWSPAPERS
Figure 52: Views on reading & buying newspapers, by demographic sub-group, December 2008
APPENDIX – WHO ARE THE KEENER READERS?
Figure 53: Number of types of newspapers read, by demographic sub-group, December 2008
Figure 54: Views on reading & buying newspapers, by number of types of newspapers regularly read, December 2008
Figure 55: Important sections in reading a regional/local newspaper by repertoire of type of newspapers regularly read, December 2008
Figure 56: Important sections in reading a national newspaper, by number of types of newspapers regularly read, December 2008
Figure 57: Number of important sections in reading a regional/local newspaper, by demographic sub-group, December 2008
Figure 58: Newspapers read regularly, by readership of regional/local newspaper, December 2008
Figure 59: Important sections in reading a national newspaper, by type of newspapers regularly read, December 2008