Far and wide or near and dear? Why local media coverage is better than national press

You may have heard the news that local media is dying. Perhaps you have lost your own local newspaper, or have seen it transform into something smaller and digital that you now read online.

In fact, you would be right in thinking that circulation in print media is down as a whole, as last year, some newspapers reported a drop in sales of as much as a 28% (Thomas, 2018). Whether you are a journalist or a reader, this is alarming news.

So, it is no surprise that when it comes to thinking about your next advertising campaign, a national title might seem more appealing. After all, a larger readership and the prestige of being featured in a reputable publication is an irresistible combination, and it is one that has proved successful.

Conversely to the drop in sales, last year, print display advertising in the national newspaper market rose 1% to £153 million in the first quarter of 2018 (Sweney, 2018). It was the first increase since 2010, and occurred in titles such as The Sun, Daily Mail, Daily Express and Metro. According to the Advertising Association and World Advertising Research Center, the combined print display advertising in the same period also rose by 2.8% to £77.8 million (Sweney, 2018).