Australian newspaper circulation continues to fall

SYDNEY - Australian newspaper circulation continued to decline in the December quarter but at a slower pace than in previous months.

The latest Audit Bureau of Circulation figures showed Monday to Saturday newspaper sales fell by 2.6 per cent in the three months to December 31, compared with the prior corresponding period.

Sales fell by 2.9 per cent in the September quarter.

The Newspaper Works chief executive Tony Hale said a challenging retail environment remained a factor for the falls, and publishers were responding.

"Newspaper publishers are moving effectively to meet the changing needs of consumers by giving them more opportunities to buy newspapers in different formats," he said.

"Building on their traditional distribution models, newspaper companies are extending the availability of their mastheads, especially with the launch of smart phone and tablet apps."

The Newspaper Works is a non-profit body set up to promote the industry.

The biggest-selling newspaper in the December quarter was Sydney's The Sunday Telegraph with 617,824 copies sold, down 2.2 per cent from the prior corresponding period.

Among the metropolitan titles, the largest decline from the previous corresponding period was recorded by the Monday to Friday editions of the Northern Territory News, where circulation fell 7.2 per cent to 19,066.

- AAP