WORLD PRESS TRENDS - World Association of Newspapers

MACEDONIA
MACEDONIA
Commentary - Association of Printed Media and News Agencies of Macedonia (APMNAM)
Events that brought disturbances to the newspaper market are
unfinished privatization, and the strike in the NIP Nova
Makedonija publishing house. Currently, the four dailies (two
in Macedonian, one in Albanian and one in Turkish language)
have big problems due to the fact that the publishing house is
without management and without any printing resources. These
newspapers with a 60-year old tradition even stayed without
paper and therefore were not sold for several days. On the other
hand, this increased other newspapers’ circulations (Association
members) in the short-term.
The second important event is that the government increased
the special VAT rate of 5% to 18% and lowered the general VAT
rate from 19% to 18%. Newspapers are exempt from this rule
(they still pay 5% VAT on sales), partly because of Association’s
efforts to lower VAT on newspapers.
POPULATION
There is no official information of how the newspapers stand
compared to other media except that spending for advertising
on TV is more than double than advertising in printed media.
All newspapers are morning editions, but they are being sold
on streets the evening before. A negative trend is that most
editorial offices close their daily editions earlier, around 1700,
in order to get to the street first. This is followed by all
newspapers and it is starting to bring old information to the
readers. Concerning readership, according to our research in
2002, there has been a 2% increase in total readership compared
to 2001.
The largest dailies are in negotiations with with the German
WAZ group. This group intends to buy one or more newspaper
publishing companies. The negotiations have been going on for
a year already, and the possible outcome is still not known.
Population by age and sex
All individuals Male Female Households
000 % 000 % 000 % 000
Children 471 23 244 24 227 22 502 *
16-24 299 15 153 15 146 14
25-34 311 15 158 15 153 15
35-44 297 15 150 15 147 14
45-54 265 13 132 13 133 13
55-64 182 9 87 9 95 9
65+ 214 10 96 9 118 12
Total 2,039 100 1,020 100 1,019 100
Source: State Statistical Ofiice
* 2001 data
Households
Households
Occupancy 000 %
1 person 45 9
2 people 87 17
3 people 84 17
4 people 147 29
5 or more people 139 28
Total 502 100
Source: State Statistical Ofiice, Census 1994
NUMBER OF TITLES AND CIRCULATION
Change (%)
2001 2002 2001/02
Number of titles
Total dailies 7 7 0
Non-dailies 33 30 -9
Circulation (000)
Total dailies 177 130 -27
Non-dailies 60 60 0
Total annual sales (millions of copies)
Dailies 41.6 40.6 -2.5
Note: The majority of non-APMNAM-member
publications are better classed as magazines.
Figures are APMNAM estimates
Titles
8
6
4
2
0
Number of daily titles and circulation
Titles
Circulation
2001 2002
200
150
100
50
0
Circulation (000s)
MORE FACTS
Change (%)
2001 2002 01/2002
Advertising revenues (Denar million)
Dailies - 308 -
Sales revenues (Denar million)
Dailies 416 413 -0.63
Volume of advertising sold (pages & page equivalents)
Total - 10,000 -
§ at constant 2001 prices
423
403
383
363
343
Dailies: Advertising and sales revenues at current prices (Denar million)
Sales revenues
323
303
Advertising revenues
2001 2002
184
WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS - WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2003