"Far from being an industry in decline, as the ill-informed and short-sighted continue to contend, newspapers are alive and well and exhibiting enormous innovation and energy to maintain their place as the news media of preference for hundreds of millions of people daily," said Timothy Balding, chief executive of the association.
The figures show the newspaper industry is growing, and that free dailies are a big part of that growth. The association found:
- • Global newspaper sales were up 2.3 percent over the year, and had increased 9.48 percent over the past five years. Newspaper sales increased year-on-year in Asia, Europe, Africa, South America, with North America the sole continent to register a decline.
• When free dailies are added to the paid newspaper circulation, global circulation increased 4.61 percent last year, and 14.76 percent over the past five years.
• The five largest markets for newspapers are: China, with 98.7 million copies sold daily; India, with 88.9 million copies daily; Japan, with 69.1 million copies daily; the United States, with 52.3 million; and Germany, 21.1 million.
• Newspapers share of the world ad market held relatively steady with 29.6 percent, marginally down from 29.8 percent in 2005. Newspapers remain the world's second largest advertising medium, after television, with more revenue that radio, cinema, outdoor, magazines and the internet combined.
• In India, newspaper advertising revenues increased 23.18 percent over one year and 85 percent over the last five. South Africa also saw remarkable gains -- 20.71 percent over one year and 141 percent over five years.
