Media & Marketing: This is a significant week for newspapers, with Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) figures for 2003 due out this afternoon, writes Emmet Oliver.
Advertisers are especially interested in how the Sunday market is shaping up.
If Ireland on Sunday jumps again, advertisers speculate that a new daily newspaper from owners Associated Newspapers, publishers of the Daily Mail, cannot be far away.
Advertisers predict a new Associated title in the second half of the year. Associated simply says it is studying various strategic opportunities. A key issue would be to identify where to print such a paper.
Associated could introduce its Metro freesheet into Dublin and surrounding counties but this might not be attractive now that the Irish Independent is targeting busy commuters with its compact format, advertisers say.
Mr Paul Moran of the Mediaworks agency believes there may be a gap in the middle of the market, but timing is key.
He says the Dublin Daily made the error of launching in spring and, if Associated is to introduce a title, it should do so in the autumn.
"We are certainly expecting it in the second half of the year. [We are\] not so certain there is an easy market to reach... The one gap was a tabloid or compact format and that has been filled."
Mr Moran says Ireland on Sunday should see more modest growth, but he believes the paper's policy of giveaway CDs was astute. "The sincerest form of flattery is imitation and virtually all the Sundays are now doing CDs of some kind."
Based on sales, most of them at full price, the policy would appear to be working. In 2001 Ireland on Sunday was selling 53,265 copies but, by the middle of last year, this rose to 167,996.
He says if Associated takes the plunge with Metro or a mid-market daily (believed to be called Ireland Today), it will have to be prepared for a long fight. Associated Newspapers Ireland lost €14.5 million, according to its latest accounts.
Mr Moran says Irish agencies are still cautious about taking space with British titles. "Papers with mixed British and Irish editorial still have to work hard to get business."
The last set of ABC figures for the first half of 2003 delivered unpleasant news for some of Associated's main rivals, with the Sunday Independent down 3.4 per cent to 294,739 from 305,182.
Mr Moran says the recent price increases announced by several papers have left a sour taste in advertisers' mouths. "We are seeing falling circulation across a range of titles, yet we are constantly seeing increases in rate cards."
Ironically, this week advertising agencies have been contacted by the Star newspaper about reductions in its rates.
Rates for the recently launched The Star on Sunday have been revised down following sluggish sales.
The advertising rates have been reduced by 42 per cent to reflect this with a half-page colour ad costing €5,912.
RTE rugby figures
After a sluggish opening against France, the Six Nations Championships is starting to pay dividends for RTÉ.
RTÉ increased its audience to 379,000 viewers for the game against Wales. This represented a share of 42.1 per cent of the audience, well ahead of the French match. The return of Brian O'Driscoll may have played a part, RTÉ suggests.
The figures will prove attractive to agencies looking to target ABC1 males. If Ireland manages to beat England at Twickenham, there could be a bonanza for RTÉ for the matches against Scotland and Italy.
Female TV viewers
AFA O'Meara has been talking about the battle for female viewers between RTÉ and TV3.
The agency, while recognising the power of Sex In the City to pull in female viewers for TV3, said RTÉ was not losing out entirely.
"In relation to women's viewing, it is interesting to note that, despite TV3's claims of being the second-most watched station, it's still possible for RTÉ to deliver more on certain nights, even against strong programming on TV3.
"Last Thursday night, Network 2 attracted 22 per cent of viewing women with its movie Kiss The Girls, delivering more than TV3's Sex in the City that scored a 16 per cent share."
BCI approves changes
The board of the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) met on Monday and approved changes at South-East Radio, the station serving the Wexford area.
The BCI approved the sale of the shares of Kevin Cooney Grain Ltd to Mary Buttle, wife of Eamonn Buttle. Mr Buttle is a major shareholder in the Wexford People newspaper.
This increases the Buttle family's holding in the station from just more than 55 per cent to 70.38 per cent, said a BCI spokeswoman.
Kevin Cooney will remain on the board of directors.
Guinness goes to jungle
Diageo in the UK has launched a new strapline for Guinness: Out of darkness comes light. The strapline forms part of a new £6.5 million sterling (€9.8 million) Guinness advertising campaign set in the Brazilian jungle.
The ad was created by British agency Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO. The advert had its debut this week during Champions League matches on ITV. The ad is likely to feature as part of Guinness's sponsorship of this year's Cheltenham Festival.
