THE readership of the Manchester Evening News has soared by 19 per cent following the launch of a pioneering "part-paid, part-free" strategy.
New figures from respected industry research organisation, GFKNOP, reveal that the number of people who read each issue of the paper increased by a fifth from 362,213 in October 2006 to 428,931 last month.
The hike follows an initiative launched in May of last year which sees free copies of the Manchester Evening News being given away in the city centre each weekday.
The overall number of coveted ABC1 readers is up by 44,000 - or 28 per cent - meaning that 47 per cent of the Manchester Evening News's readership now falls into that important segment of the advertising market.
The number of readers in the 15 to 44 age bracket has increased from 51 per cent to 54 per cent.
The GFKNOP figures were formulated on the accepted industry basis that multiple readers will read each newspaper.
Delighted
Mark Dodson, chief executive of the Guardian Media Group's regional media division, publisher of the Manchester Evening News, said: "We are delighted with these latest readership figures, which show that our newspaper is being read by many more people.
"It proves that our strategy of delivering a part-paid, part-free distribution model for the Manchester Evening News is already bearing fruit."
Meanwhile, new figures have been released revealing that 37 per cent more copies of the Manchester Evening News are now being distributed than a year ago.
While overall sales of the Manchester Evening News fell by 26.8 per cent from 128,444 to 94,018 in the latest set of regional ABC figures, the decision to give away copies of the M.E.N. means that the combined part-paid/part-free circulation now stands at 176,051.
The audited figure for free copies of the city centre paper currently stands at 77,831 and will increase to 80,400 from Friday.
What do you think? Have your say.
Comments
Login or Register to comment
I read the 'free' copy, otherwise there is plenty of news available on the net. I did email about the way that the copies are given out and had no reply. Always used to this with many large companies where one email does not mean much. In short those giving out MEN are a credit. Any business that wanted leaflets etc handed out - would not go far wrong in letting them do this via MEN.
We get the free papers delivered to our office every morning. And as stated by the previous poster.. Brilliant service. All the staff on site appreciate the service,most take the papers home to read on the train, bus or when stuck in traffic. Mr Dodson should be proud of his staff and the delivery company they are using.