Newspaper sales increased in many countries in
2000, while advertising revenues showed significant growth, according
to the annual survey of World Press Trends published Monday by the World
Association of Newspapers.
The survey, presented to 1,000 publishers and editors
from 75 countries at the 54th World Newspaper Congress and 8th World Editors
Forum in Hong Kong, showed that:
Daily print circulation continued to increase or stabilise
in many countries; where decline has been sharpest over the past decade
it has generally begun to slow down.
Globally, the newspaper industry has more print titles
and circulation than ten years ago.
Newspaper advertising income again showed very good
growth and, in many countries, the press continues to win back market
share from other media, particularly television. Newspapers in no less
than 25 nations saw their ad market share increase or stabilise in 2000
and it is up or stable in 19 of them over the past five years.
Spectacular increases in online readership suggest
that the combination of print and electronic news and information distribution
is expanding the audience for newspapers.
"We are in a growth industry. Whether in print
or online," said the WAN Director General, Timothy Balding, presenting
the 12th annual WAN survey of the global newspaper industry to the Hong
Kong Congress.
"If print is ever going to disappear, which doesn't
look likely in any near future, it's clear who is going to provide the
new media platforms – your companies," he said.
The survey, which WAN has published annually since 1987, includes information
on 64 countries
Mr. Timothy Balding,
General Director of WAN.
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