UK regional dailies and weeklies received circulation awards at the Newspaper Society’s sales conference in Blackpool last week, with the top award going to the South Wales Argus for the best overall evening newspaper sales increase.
The newspapers were judged by base sales — news trade and subscription copies only with all bulk sales including special editions excluded.
The Argus, based in Newport, increased its sale by 2.5 per cent in 2000, selling 679 more copies every day.
The last six months of the year brought the Newsquest newspaper another award — for the best sale increase in a six-monthly period. During the last half of 2000, its sale went up by 1,651 copies a day.
The rest of the results saw the Paisley Daily Express awarded the Northcliffe Newspapers special merit award for daily newspapers that have achieved consistent growth over a three-year period, with an increase of 8.1 per cent.
The Irish News received the Trinity award for morning newspapers with a circulation of more than 25,000, with a 3.2 per cent increase.
The York Evening Press won the Eastern Counties Newspapers award for evening papers with a circulation between 40,000, and 80,000, for their 0.29 per cent increase year-on-year.
The Wigan Evening Post got the Johnston Press award for an evening paper with a circulation of less than 40,000 for its increase of 3.7 per cent.
The Cornish Guardian took the Johnston Press award for a weekly newspaper with a circulation over 25,000 with a 2.83 per cent increase.
The Crawley Observer award for circulation for a weekly newspaper between 15,000 and 25,000 went to the Kentish Express with an increase of 2.83 per cent.
The Regional Independent Media award for weekly newspapers with a circulation between 5,000 and 15,000 was won by the Clydebank Post with an increase of 14.1 per cent.
by Jean Morgan
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