Herald Pleased With Continued Circulation Growth

The New Zealand Herald has continued its circulation growth and once again been confirmed as New Zealand's biggest selling newspaper.

The latest ABC Audit Bureau figures released today for the New Zealand Herald has seen a net increase year on year for the October to March period from 209,898 to 210,841. Managing Director Ken Steinke said: "Here we have another circulation audit delivering another pleasing result. Coming on the back of our exceptional readership growth earlier this year, the figures show a positive performance for the New Zealand Herald.

For some time now, we've been focussed on continuous improvement and sustainable growth. That we are seeing such consistency in our results is a very positive and rewarding outcome. The paper's growth is about hard work and achievement in every department."

Editor-in-Chief Gavin Ellis believes the result underlines the New Zealand Herald's market leadership: "We are in the happy position of not only selling the most newspapers but, as recent figures show, of seeing our readership grow by an average of 22,000 a day," he said: "It is equally pleasing to see that newspapers generally have improved their circulation, pointing to their value and importance to the public. The Herald is at the forefront of that trend."

At the recent 2002 International Newspaper Marketing Awards (INMA) in Toronto, the Herald took Best of Show and won five first-place awards, in what INMA called "one of the strongest showings ever in the nearly seven-decade history of the INMA Newspaper Marketing Awards."

General Manager Sales and Marketing Pip Elliott said: "The opportunity for The New Zealand Herald is clear. We're enjoying consistent and sustained growth with thousands more New Zealanders picking up the Herald for their news every day. In fact two out of three Aucklanders read us every week. This circulation result is positive, and readership results have been exceptional."

The audited circulations figures are available at http://www.abc.org.nz/audit/index.html?org=npa

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