WORLD PRESS TRENDS - World Association of Newspapers

ARMENIA
Future
Much work must be done before the print media in Armenia
can be considered independent. Most newspapers continue to
receive from 20% to 40% of their revenue from backers and
sponsors, though the proportion is dwindling. The amount of
money and the source varies month-to-month and newspaper
to newspaper. Newspapers earn most of their income – an
average of about 60% – from the sale of their newspapers in
kiosks and subscriptions, which is why distribution is a critical
element to the financial success of newspapers.
Most Armenian merchants view advertising as a drain on their
resources, not an investment. They do not think in terms of
competition in a free market economy. The economic conditions
do not require businesses to advertise and market themselves
in order to gain market share. Moreover, advertising in one
publication or another carries with it a political stigma. Since
most newspapers have a political slant or party affiliation, the
placement of an ad in a publication is interpreted as financial
support for that political point of view.
POPULATION
Population by age and sex
All individuals Male Female
000 % 000 % 000 %
Children 966 26 499 27 467 25
16-24 665 18 339 18 326 18
25-34 566 15 279 15 287 16
35-44 626 17 294 16 332 18
45-54 245 7 161 9 85 5
55-64 295 8 133 7 162 9
65+ 331 9 138 8 193 10
Total 3,694 100 1,844 100 1,850 100
Source: Armenian Sociological Association
Age structure of readership
Age
% of readership
18-29 24
30-44 29
45-59 36
60+ 11
Population by social class and sex
All individuals
000 % 000
A+B 868 23 619
C 249 7 -
D 2,577 70 -
Total 3,694 100 619
Source: Armenian Sociological Association
A = executive/managers/administrators
B = professional/managers
C = skilled manual workers
D = state pensioners/widows/children
Ma
Newspaper reach (%)
Daily Weekly Monthly
All adults 14 16 22
NUMBER OF TITLES AND CIRCULATION
Change (%)
2001 2002 2001/02
Number of titles
Total dailies 5 12 140.00
National dailies 5 6 20.00
Local dailies - 6 -
Non-dailies 40 41 2.50
National non-dailies 11 12 9.09
Regional non-dailies 29 29 0.00
Circulation (000)
Total dailies - 27 -
National dailies - 27 -
Regional dailies - - -
Non-dailies - 116 -
National non-dailies - - -
Regional non-dailies - 116 -
Note 1: There are no free and Sunday newspapers in Armenia
Note 2: There are no daily or community newspapers in
Armenian regions.
Note 3: National newspapers are defined as those which
are published in Yerevan and distributed throughout the country.
Note 4: Regional newspaper are defined as those publications
distributed through certain regions.
Titles
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Number of national titles and circulation
Titles
Circulation
2001 2002
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Circulation (000s)
46
WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS - WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2003