6 July 2004

AMSTERDAM - Dutch national newspapers experienced large losses in circulation in the first quarter of 2004 compared with the same period last year, media institute HOI said on Tuesday.

The biggest loser was liberal Christian daily Trouw, which saw its circulation fall 9.6 percent to 110,686. The Rotterdam-based Algemeen Dagblad lost 8.6 percent and the daily circulation of De Volkskrant fell 6 percent.

The best-selling newspaper De Telegraaf saw its circulation decline 3.8 percent to 732,455, while Amsterdam's Het Parool recorded a 5.5 percent fall to 85,101. Financial newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad (4.4 percent) and quality evening paper NRC Handelsbad (2.3 percent) also recorded losses.

Other newspapers, including Protestant papers Nederlands Dagblad and Reformatorisch Daglad, recorded small increases, Dutch public news service NOS reported.

Among the free commuter tabloid, the Spits emerged the clear winner, recording a 6 percent increase in circulation, while the Metro's circulation fell by 2.3 percent.

Regional newspapers generally performed badly, as the Rotterdams Dagblad lost 11.4 percent of its circulation and the Gooi- en Eemlander lost 8.4 percent.

Results from efforts to thwart declining circulation figures are not evident in the quarterly figures.

Such efforts saw Het Parool swap to a tabloid format, while De Telegraaf and De Twentsche Courant Tubantia introduced Sunday newspapers. The Algemeen Dagblad launched a sports newspaper.

De Telegraaf remains the largest newspaper, with almost double the circulation of the Spits, which has a circulation of almost 384,000, news agency Novum reported.

The Metro is the fourth largest newspaper in terms of circulation, followed by the Volkskrant and the Algemeen Dagblad.

[Copyright Expatica News + Novum Nieuws 2004]

Subject: Dutch news