Print sales down and web clicks up

Remember the telegraph system? Newspapers and magazines may be following in its steps if new stats are anything to go by.

The latest readership and circulation figures, released by the Audit Bureau of Circulations yesterday, show some publishers are suffering from the rise of news and information websites and new entrants onto the old media scene.

In the three months to September 30, The Australian fared the best among weekly circulation, with figures up 12% to 477,000. The Advertiser in Adelaide did the worst, slipping 6% to a readership of 528,000. In sales, The Sunday Age in Melbourne took the blue with an increase of 8.9%.

Victoria’s Herald Sun remains at the top of the weekly news-reader’s list, with a readership of 1,452,000, even though this reflected a decrease of 2% over the three-month period.

In the weekly magazine category, celebrity gossip was big, with Northern & Shell’s OK! Jumping up and down on top of rival titles, including the Seven Network’s Famous and Who, and PBL Media’s Woman’s Day and NW.