WARSAW (Thomson Financial) - Agora, Polish newspaper-to-outdoor advertising company, raised sales of its flagship newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza by 4 pct from a year earlier in July, data from the Polish press distributors' association showed today.
Gazeta Wyborcza, which accounts for 70 pct of Agora's revenues, sold an average of 423,842 copies daily, or 0.6 pct fewer than in June.
The average sales of Wyborcza's main competitor 'Dziennik', owned by German publisher Axel Springer, fell 9.6 pct to 181.743 copies in July and was 0.9 pct lower than a month earlier, the data showed.
Axel Springer's tabloid 'Fakt' remained the market leader in July and sold on average 511,718 copies, or 5.4 pct more than a year ago and was 4.8 pct higher compared to June.
Springer and Agora have been locked in a battle for leadership of Poland's daily newspaper market that has forced Agora to cut Wyborcza's price and spend heavily on defending its market position.
The company has taken steps to offset competition by double-pricing Wyborcza, which now comes with DVDs or books for a higher price. Agora beat forecasts with a 32.8 mln zlotys net profit in the second-quarter. piotr.skolimowski@thomson.com +48 22 447 24 36 ps1/gp COPYRIGHT Copyright AFX News Limited 2007. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News.
© 2007 AFX News
