FOR the second year running the Irish News has topped the circulation figures league performance table for regional dailies across the entire UK.
Covering the second half of 2018, the paper's overall circulation stood at 32,315, which equates to 148,000 readers every day.
And it means our print circulation in the whole of last year was more than 10 million copies in an industry where all regional newspapers showed a decline of some form and many suffered double-digit falls.
Stripping out bulk sales and free copies, the Irish News' paid-for circulation (32,137) topped the ‘alternative’ league for the third consecutive time, according to data from industry monitor the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC).
The performance, seen as an endorsement of the hard work across every department of the newspaper, follows a number of major initiatives last year.
The launch of the paper's Weekend edition - which introduced new columnists like Lynette Fay and Jake O'Kane and which secured a two-day placement on the shelves on Saturday and Sunday - was one of the most significant aspects of the strong Irish News performance.
The paper's partnerships with St Mary’s College and business group the CBI through our award-winning Young News Readers project is seeing more than 6,000 pupils in primary and post primary schools across the north reading a special school edition of the Irish News every week, with tailored content to suit a school audience, and is nurturing a new generation of committed readers.
And the Irish News' Neighbourhood news drop campaign, launched last month, also re-affirms our commitment to encouraging better community connections and highlights the need for people of all ages to enjoy a newspaper.
The paper's marketing manager John Brolly said: "We're absolutely delighted that in 2018 the Irish News again outperformed the market across the UK.
"Our strategy of innovation in terms of evolution of our offering to readers is connecting with new reader groups.
"There is also a definitive appetite for local news and business as well as the analysis around what is happening and what it means to people not just in Belfast but in Newry or Derry, Enniskillen or Strabane.
"Sport will always play a significant part of life of our readers, and the Irish News remains massively strong in our reporting of Gaelic games and opinion on the key aspects on and off the pitch."
