I should like, with the permission of the House, to make a statement in elucidation of certain figures which I gave in reply to a parliamentary question on 9th March last.
Circulation of Newspapers—Statement by Minister.
No objection.
The figures of newspaper circulation given by me to Deputy Carter on the 19th March, 1953, in reply to a parliamentary question were secured from the Stationery Office, which had obtained them from the Government advertising agent. The figures were furnished to the agent by the Irish Association of AdvertisingAgencies in July, 1952, corrected in certain cases by information as regards certified circulation subsequently communicated to that agent by individual newspapers.
Following representations by certain newspapers that the circulation figures given by me were inaccurate, I ascertained that revised figures had been issued by the Audit Bureau of Circulation Limited, London. These figures were procured by the Government advertising agent yesterday and are as follows:-
|
The Standard |
61,668 |
|
Southern Star (Skibbereen) |
13,494 |
|
Kerryman (Tralee) |
24,238 |
|
Kilkenny People (Kilkenny) |
8,120 |
|
Drogheda Independent (Drogheda) |
16,050 |
|
Limerick Leader (Saturday) |
22,711 |
|
Limerick Leader (Mon. & Wed.) |
3,495 |
|
Limerick Echo |
13,256 |
|
Western People (Ballina) |
28,839 |
|
Midland Tribune (Birr) |
6,895 |
|
Nenagh Guardian (Nenagh) |
5,780 |
|
Munster Express (Waterford) |
14,035 |
It is unfortunate that the figures previously given by me, based on information obtained from the Government advertising agent, were certainly inaccurate in the cases mentioned above, and I wish to express regret for any inconvenience that may have been caused to the publications concerned.
The circulation of certain other newspapers who are not members of the Audit Bureau of Circulation is certified by local auditors appointed by the publications concerned. Information as to the most recent certified figures is obtainable only by application to the individual publications.
The newspapers for which uncertified figures of circulation were given on the 19th March fall into two categories:-
(a) Newspapers which furnish to the Irish Association of Advertising Agencies their uncertified figures of circulation.
(b) Newspapers which do not reply to the association's inquiries. In these cases a committee of the association estimates what it believesto be a reasonable figure for the publication concerned.
I may add that I have received strong representations from the following newspapers that the figures of estimated circulation quoted by me, as supplied by the Irish Association of Advertising Agencies, were greatly underestimated:—
Dundalk Democrat.
Waterford Star.
Westmeath Examiner.