Manchester Evening News circulation jumps 86%

Manchester Evening News has seen a 85.8% leap in circulation year on year in an otherwise gloomy regional newspaper market, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations figures for the six months to June. The paper has been buoyed by its hybrid part free, part paid-for model.

The Guardian Media Group title, which distributes 52.2% of its copies for free, recorded a circulation of 161,545.

The news is mixed for the paid for regional dailies with The Liverpool Echo, owned by Trinity Mirror, dropping by 6.6% year on year to 102,488 and Northcliffe Media’s biggest circulating titles, with Leicester Mercury, falling by 5.8% year-on-year to 69,069. The Eastern Daily Press, owned by Archant Regional, also recorded a fall of 4.3% dropping to 63,508.

Johnson Press saw falls across its portfolio with Yorkshire Evening Post’s circulation plummeting by 7.2% to 53,262 and the Evening News in Edinburgh dropping by nearly 8% year on year to 49,208 copies.

The Kent Messenger also saw a significant drop of 7.1% year on year to 49,834 copies while its sister title, Kentish Express, fell by 7.9% to 21,300.