EARNINGS from advertising for Ireland's national newspapers increased by 4.7 per cent last year compared with 1994.
The total earned by the 11 member publications of the National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI) was £91.9 million.
For the second year running, McConnell's Advertising Service Ltd was last night presented with the award for the highest advertising expenditure in newspapers.
In 1995 McConnell's invested over £3.5 million in newspaper advertising. All Ireland Media came second and Bell Advertising Ltd came third.
Presenting the award, NNI's chairman, Mr Louis O'Neill, said McConnell's expenditure had increased by a third over the 1994 total.
Mr O'Neill, group managing director and deputy chief executive of The Irish Times, said McConnell's had shown confidence in newspapers and the confidence was well placed.
"Which other medium can offer the advertisers a chance to really say something detailed to his prospects? Advertisers who rely on getting their message across in 3 second bursts are selling them selves short. Newspapers can take the reader aside and explain in a unique editorial environment what a product has to offer."
Newspaper advertising is in quite good health, he said. "Despite competition from other media outlets we are holding our own remarkably well, with overall newspaper advertising revenue up.
A 4.7 per cent Increase may seem modest until it is considered that revenue earned by the three Irish Press titles was included in the 1994 figures, but was not included for 1995, even though they were on sale for the first five months of last year.
Of the total earned from advertising £49.6 million came from advertising agencies, with £42.3 million from classified and the small ads sector.