Strong Performance for Fairfax Newspapers in Audit

Media Release
Friday 11th November 2005

Strong Performance for Fairfax Newspapers in Latest Audit

The latest Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) results demonstrate yet again the strength of Fairfax New Zealand’s stable of newspapers.

All of Fairfax’s five daily newspapers who qualify for the September audit experienced lifts in circulation year on year. In addition, the Sunday Star-Times is New Zealand’s number one selling newspaper with a circulation of 202,249.

Joan Withers, CEO, Fairfax New Zealand, said the circulation results represent a healthy picture for Fairfax newspapers.

“The performance of Fairfax daily newspapers is particularly pleasing with lifts in circulation for all five papers. The teams at these papers have really tapped into their local communities and know what their readers want and expect from their daily newspaper.”

In the daily newspaper category, year on year increases were recorded by The Dominion Post with a circulation of 98,245, The Press with a circulation of 90,909 and the Waikato Times with a circulation of 41,891 – the highest audited circulation for this metropolitan daily since September 2002. These were supported by increases in circulation for both the Southland Times (29,377) and Taranaki Daily News (26,497).

Fairfax Sundays’ share of the total Sunday circulation market is 77% up from 75% in March of this year. Both the Sunday Star Times (202,249) and the Sunday News (100,547) have remained stable against the March audit (the first that included APN’s Sunday publication), compared with APN’s Herald on Sunday publication which fell by over 10,000 (representing a 10.1% drop), to a circulation of 91,076.

Joan Withers says: “These latest results confirm our leadership position on Sundays with our titles clearly number one and number two in the Sunday circulation market – the most competitive newspaper market in the country. Fairfax newspaper circulation continues to offer advertisers unrivalled national coverage through its two national Sunday papers and its strong-performing dailies.”

ENDS

Source: ABC Audited Circulation, 6 months to 31 March 2005
ABC Audited Circulation, 12 months to 30 September 2005

© Scoop Media