Publisher Trinity Mirror said today trading is in line with its expectations for the year, with weakness in advertising at its national newspapers offset by strength in regional titles.
The publisher of the Daily Mirrornewspaper said group advertising revenue for the five months to November was up 1 per cent from the year-ago period.
At its national titles, advertising revenues fell 5.7 per cent in the period. Regional ad revenue climbed 3.9 per cent.
Circulation revenue increased 4.7 per cent, with national titles up 5.2 per cent. The increase reflected the benefit of restoring the Daily Mirror'scover price to 32 pence outside Scotland, the company said, following a punishing tabloid price war with the Sun, Britain's top-selling newspaper.
Trinity Mirror sold its Irish newspapers earlier this month as part of a corporate overhaul by Chief Executive Sly Bailey.
Trinity Mirror owns two newspaper groups in the North: Century Newspapers Ltd and the Derry Journal Group. Century comprises the staunchly unionist News Letterand the Belfast Newsand Farming Life .
The Derry Journal Group consists of the Derry Journal, the Donegal Democrat, the Letterkenny Listenerand the Foyle News. Trinity Mirror used to own the Sunday Business Postbut sold it two years ago to Thomas Crosbie Holdings.