Every daily and Sunday title saw circulation fall in the first half of 2012, according to figures released by ABC this afternoon.
The Belfast Telegraph, Northern Ireland’s biggest-selling daily, was down 9.2 per cent to 53,847, while sales of the Irish News fell 3.6 per cent to 42,084 and the News Letter dropped 5.5 per cent to 22,198.
Circulation figures for the Sunday Life were down 11.5 per cent to 48,746 and the Sunday Journal fell 7.5 per cent to 2,375.
Of the 36 weekly papers audited by the ABC, nine saw circulation go up in the first half of the year – five of which are free titles.
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Of the paid-for papers the Ballymena Times had the best-year-on-year figures, up 6.7 per cent to 3,499.
The Thursday edition of the Derry News, the Impartial Reporter and the Tyrone Times also reported increased sales.
Among the worst-performing weeklies were the free title the Belfast News (down 31.1 per cent to 29,392), the Derry Journal Group (down 14.1 per cent to 46,451) and The Leader (down 11.3 per cent to 3,286).
ABC circulation figures for Northern Ireland newspapers January to June 2012
Title; average circulation; percentage change year on year
Dailies/Sundays
Belfast Telegraph : 53,847 ; -9.2%
Irish News – Morning : 42,084 ; -3.6%
Sunday Journal : 2,375 ; -7.5%
Sunday Life : 48,746 ; -11.5%
Ulster – News Letter : 22,198 ; -5.5%
Weeklies
Ballymena Times : 3,499 ; 6.7%
Banbridge Chronicle : 4,203 ; -3.5%
Belfast News (free) : 29,392 ; -31.1%
Coleraine Times : 6,391 ; -8.3%
Community Telegraph East Belfast (free) : 34,081 ; 3.8%
Community Telegraph Group (free) : 106,417 ; 3.8%
Community Telegraph North Belfast (free) : 24,646 ; 2.6%
Community Telegraph North Down & Ards (free) : 25,042 ; 4.8%
Community Telegraph South Belfast (free) : 22,648 ; 3.8%
County Derry Post : 4,480 ; -0.5%
Derry Journal (Fri) : 15,996 ; -5.9%
Derry Journal (Tue) : 13,922 ; -7.1%
Derry Journal Group : 46,451 ; -14.1%
Derry News – Monday : 5,787 ; -3.0%
Derry News – Thursday : 5,893 ; 2.1%
Down Recorder : 9,233 ; -5.6%
Fermanagh Herald : 12,780 ; -0.9%
Impartial Reporter : 13,475 ; 0.1%
Larne Times : 8,168 ; -4.7%
The Leader : 3,286 ; -11.3%
Lisburn Echo (free) : 14,279 ; -0.4%
Londonderry Sentinel : 3,853 ; -6.8%
Lurgan Mail : 6,641 ; -5.7%
Mid Ulster Mail : 7,739 ; -7.4%
Morton Newspaper Paid Group : 59,183 ; -5.3%
Mourne Observer : 10,072 ; -2.8%
Newry Reporter : 10,869 ; -8.5%
The North West of Ireland Printing & Publishing News Group : 50,218 ; -3.8%
Portadown Times : 8,741 ; -5.1%
River Media Newspapers Group : 16,160 ; -0.5%
Strabane Chronicle : 5,068 ; -4.9%
Tyrone Herald : 6,424 ; -4.6%
Tyrone Times : 3,564 ; 3.5%
Ulster Herald : 11,501 ; -4.6%
Ulster Herald Group : 22,993 ; -4.6%
Ulster Star : 7,301 ; -6.1%
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