The Western Mail was revealed as the UK's top-performing
regional daily newspaper when the Audit Bureau of Circulation released the
industry's six-monthly figures today.
The Trinity Mirror title posted a sales increase of over four
per cent following investment in a successful compact relaunch at the end of
2004.
The Group's overall performance was also strong - three of the
top four morning titles in terms of growth (the Western Mail, Liverpool Daily
Post and Paisley Daily Express) are published by Trinity Mirror.
In the Sunday and Evening sectors, the Wales on Sunday and
Newcastle Evening Chronicle both showed year-on-year growth.
Georgina Harvey, Trinity Mirror's Managing Director, Regionals,
said:
"The latest ABCs are very encouraging for Trinity Mirror. We've
improved our year-on-year performance in three key sectors: mornings, evenings
and Sundays.
"We're particularly pleased with the performance of our morning
newspapers, where fifty per cent of our titles have posted year-on-year
increases.
"The results reflect the continued publishing excellence of our
teams across the UK, and the benefits of our investment in product development
and new printing presses.
"At the Newcastle Evening Chronicle, quality journalism,
innovative marketing and a strong focus on meeting the needs of its readership
have combined to deliver year-on-year circulation growth.
"In Wales, the Western Mail's superb performance follows a major
relaunch and successful compact conversion towards the end of 2004, made
possible by our new full-colour print facility in Cardiff Bay. The new-look
paper is another example of simply great publishing, and it's gratifying to see
the hard work of our teams there paying off.
"We're investing in our newspapers, revitalising design, content
and format, and we're seeing some very good results. No-one should be in any
doubt as to the ongoing strength of the regional press, both as advertising
medium and consumer product."
