Our Market

Denmark has a population of over five million, and GDP grew by 0.5 per cent in 2010.

The newspaper circulation market in Denmark was estimated to be worth €537 million in 2010, which is unchanged from 2009. Newspaper circulations in the paid-for national daily market in Denmark declined by 8.8 per cent in 2010 (2009: 6 per cent) and regional newspaper circulations declined by 6.5 per cent (2009: 8.2 per cent).

Newspaper advertising was estimated to be worth €522 million in 2010 and constituted 33 per cent of the total advertising market against 35 per cent in 2009. Newspaper advertising declined by 8 per cent in 2010 (2009: 17 per cent). Advertising in the paid-for newspapers declined by 8 per cent (2009: 23 per cent) with nationals down by 6 per cent (2009: 22 per cent). Mecom’s operations, trading as Berlingske Media, managed to gain market share in the regional and local market, which overall declined by 12 per cent.

There are two major newspaper publishers in the Danish market: Berlingske Media and JP/Politikens Hus, together representing 50 per cent of the total newspaper market. Their combined market share has marginally increased compared to 2009.

Berlingske Media’s largest title, Berlingske, a national daily newspaper, has performed better than its main competitors Jyllandsposten and Politiken during 2010. Berlingske lost 1.9 per cent of circulation, while Politiken lost 5.1 per cent and Jyllandsposten lost 8.0 per cent. In the tabloid market, Ekstra Bladet (JP/Politikens Hus) lost significant circulation during 2010, down by 11.8 per cent. Berlingske’s daily tabloid, B.T., however managed to maintain its circulation revenue, with lower volume declines than in the market at 8.2 per cent, and for the first time in more than two decades reached a higher circulation compared to its main rival, Ekstra Bladet. The overall tabloid market circulation declined by 10.1 per cent during 2010.

The Danish free-sheet market consists of three national publications: MetroXpress (Metro International, JP/Politikens Hus and A/S A-pressen), 24Timer (Metro International, JP/Politikens Hus and A/S A-pressen) and URBAN (Berlingske Media). MetroXpress has the largest share in the free-sheet market at 42 per cent. Berlingske Media has an estimated 21 per cent share of the free-sheet market, which is down 8 percentage points from last year. Number of readers per copy decreased by 25 per cent at URBAN and circulation of URBAN was deliberately reduced to focus distribution in the two biggest cities in Denmark. MetroExpress and 24Timer saw declines of 28 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.

Online advertising is estimated to be worth €450 million in 2010. Banner advertising grew by 9 per cent year-on-year and search advertising was estimated to have grown by 25 per cent in 2010 whilst online classifieds and recruitment segment declined by 7 per cent.