Netherlands: decreased circulation of dailies in second quarter of 2008

Posted by Alisa Zykova on October 2, 2008 at 10:07 AM

Dutch daily newspapers experienced lower circulation in the second quarter this year, according to the European Journalism Centre (EJC). Publisher PCM titles were "hit particularly hard."

De Telegraaf's total circulation, featuring both paid and free copies, increased by 1,000 to 700,000 year-on-year. Core circulation of the paid copies decreased by 3,000 to 623,000 since 2007. The paper, published by Telegraaf Media Groep (TMG), leans towards the political right, according to the EJC.

Meanwhile, leftwing PCM reportedly declined in readership. De Volksrant fell by nearly 4% from 240,083 to 230,171 copies since last year. Evening paper NRC Handeldsblad dropped from 207,831 to 199,084. Trouw fell from 93,298 to 91,306 copies.

Het Financieele Dagblad, published by FD Media Groep, experienced a rise of nearly 10% in the second quarter of 2008. Christian paper Nederlands Dagblad and Amsterdam paper Het Parool also saw an increase in circulation.

TMG free publication Spits grew from 447,000 to 452,000 but it still remains as less popular than Metro, according to the EJC.

Source: European Journalism Centre