Return to growth forecast for UK national news brand advertising in 2015

National newspaper advertising revenue in the UK is expecting to increase year on year in 2015, according to an Advertising Association and Warc report. (Picture: Shutterstock)

In 2013, advertising expenditure on national news products was £1.45bn, down 5.7 per cent year on year. The report forecasts that 2014 will see another decrease in spending, down 2.8 per cent. But 1 per cent growth is forecast for 2015.

Digital advertising revenue for national news brands – which is included in the £1.45bn figure – in 2013 was £184m, up 19.5 per cent on 2012. This is forecast to increase by 15.4 per cent this year and then another 22.8 per cent in 2015.

This means that according to the forecast, total national newspaper advertising expenditure will be £1.42bn in 2015, with £261m coming from digital.

In 2013, digital advertising revenue (of £184m) made up 12.7 per cent of the total figure (£1.45bn). In 2015, it is forecast to make up 18.3 per cent of the total.

Regional newspaper advertising will continue to shrink into 2015, according to the report, albeit at a slower rate.

In 2013, regional news brand advertising was £1.3bn in total. This is forecast to decrease by 5 per cent this year, and 4.3 per cent in 2015. The 2013 figure is down 7.3 per cent from 2012.

The increase of digital revenue in the regional press is expected to continue growing in 2015, but at a slower rate than in 2014. Total expenditure in this area currently stands at £139m, up 7.9 per cent on 2012. This year it is expected to grow by 17.4 per cent, and in 2015 by 8.1 per cent.

Advertising expenditure in the magazine industry was £1.04bn in 2013, down 5.7 per cent on 2012. This is forecast to drop by 3.3 per cent this year before increasing by 0.1 per cent in 2015.

Digital magazine advertising was at £252m in 2013, up 7.1 per cent year on year. A 6.9 per cent year on year increase is forecast for 2014, and then a 9.5 per cent jump in 2015.

The report also includes TV, radio, internet and mobile advertising. You can read the full report here.