Regional newspaper advertising revenues might be falling off a cliff, but one thing grew last year – the number of complaints.
According to the Advertising Standards Authority, which today publishes its annual report (PDF link to follow), the number of complaints about ads in regional newspapers was up 10 per cent in 2008, from 870 to 957.
National newspapers were the third most complained-about advertising medium, behind TV and the internet. But complaints about national newspaper advertising fell 13.6 per cent from 2,165 to 1,870. A sharper decline was in magazines, down 25.5 per cent from 1,134 to 845.
The number of complaints about internet advertising rose 24.6 per cent year on year, and has grown by 300 per cent in five years.
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog