NEWSPAPER READERSHIP in Ireland has declined by 2.4 per cent year-on-year, according to the Joint National Readership Survey published yesterday.

The JNRS report for 2011 shows that 2.89 million adults, or 81 per cent of the adult population, read the print editions of newspapers in the period. This compared with readership of 2.96 million a year earlier, representing 84 per cent of the adult population.

The Irish Timeshad an average daily readership of 310,000 people in the period, down from 339,000 in 2010.

The Irish Independenthad an average daily readership of 477,000, down from 539,000 a year earlier, while the Examiner's readership grew by 6,000 to 181,000. The Irish Daily Mail'sreadership was 145,000, down 3,000.

The Daily Mirrorfared best among the daily titles, growing its readership from 192,000 in 2010 to 214,000 in 2011. The Irish Daily Starhad readership of 373,000, down 12,000, while the Irish Sun's readership fell 2,000 to 275,000.

Among Sunday titles, the average readership per issue of the Sunday Independentwas 939,000 in 2011, down from one million a year earlier. The Sunday Worldhad 819,000 readers, down 2,000. The Sunday Timeshad an average readership of 386,000, down from 418,000 in 2010, although it recorded increases in the readership of its Magazine, Culture and Style supplements.

The Sunday Business Post'sreadership was 154,000, down from 187,000.

The Irish Sunday Mirrorgrew its readership from 141,00 in 2010 to 183,000 in 2011. The Irish Mail on Sundayalso saw its readership increase, recording an average of 338,000 readers per issue, up 9,000. It is likely that both titles picked up readers in the wake of the closure of the Irish News of the World last July.

The Irish Timeshad 163,000 Dublin readers, the highest number of any Irish morning title. Some 82 per cent of Irish Timesreaders are classed in the ABC1 social group, the largest percentage of any national title.

Among The Irish Timessupplements, the Saturday Magazine attracts 365,000 readers on average per issue, while the Tickethas an average readership of 214,000.Readership of Health Plusstands at 299,000 readers per issue, up from 285,000.

Millward Brown Lansdowne, which compiled the report, suggested there was some evidence of a tendency among readers of daily titles to shift from regular to occasional readership.

Frank Cullen, co-ordinating director of the National Newspapers of Ireland, said readers had remained “remarkably loyal” to newspapers despite Ireland’s economic difficulties, with high readership rates even among the younger “digital” generation.

“Newspaper publishing is all about original content; we place a very high value on quality, original journalism, and I think the latest JNRS shows that most people in Ireland do as well,” he said.

The popularity of newspaper magazines suggested they were seen increasingly as representing good value for money, he added. “They have become a central part of the newspaper offering.”