SALES of nearly all British newspapers have risen in the Republic. The most dramatic increases were made by the Rupert Murdoch owned News International titles.
Audited figures for the first six months of this year, compared to the same period in 1995, show that the London Times increased circulation by 77 per cent, the Sun by 27.5 per cent and the Sunday Times by 23.6 per cent.
In the same period all Irish newspapers also increased circulations. This general increase was probably partly due to the demise of the Irish Press group.
Sales of the Times have risen from 2,969 in the first six months of 1995 to 5,265 for the same period this year.
A major marketing drive in tune, which included an advertising campaign, pushed up sales. In May the Times was selling 3,280. The June promotion clearly had an effect on the final six monthly figure. Sales in the Republic will almost certainly show another rise when the next audited figures are published, as the promotion continued into July.
Times sales remain below the Daily Telegraph, which sells 6 486 copies at 40p, compared to the Times's 30p cover price.
However, the real competition is taking place within the tabloid market where the Star - selling at 60p and with a circulation of 85,973 - is holding its own, with an increase of 12.5 per cent over 1995.
However, the Sun (40p) and the Daily Mirror (45p) are continuing to nibble at the Star. Both British based tabloids have a combined circulation greater than the Star.
The Sun has recorded an increase of 27.5 per cent (with sales of 66,967) while the Mirror sells 60,334 copies daily.
The Sunday Times is selling 72,901 copies every weekend, but its recent relaunch and marketing campaign are thought to have given it a big increase, which has not yet shown up in audited figures.
No other British broadsheet rivals the Sunday Times's circulation here. The Independent on Sunday sells 13,453; the Observer, with 9,766, is slightly up on the previous year.
In the Sunday tabloid market, the News of the World has a circulation in the Republic of 158,168 - up 6.4 per cent.
The People sells 99,815 and the Sunday Mirror 72,830. The Sunday Express and the Mail on Sunday, with circulations of 9,102 and 11,378 respectively, are the only British newspapers showing a circulation fall.
Ireland's Sunday tabloid, the Sunday World has sales of 291.884.
The degree of penetration by British newspapers into the Irish market has caused much concern in the Irish newspaper industry. The level of penetration - unique to the Irish newspaper market - has been investigated by the Competition Authority, but it did not find that the low pricing of British newspapers was predatory.
However, the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Mr Richard Bruton, is to investigate the possibility of banning below cost selling of newspapers, as recommended by the Commission on the Newspaper Industry. The newspaper industry here has claimed that the low cost of British newspapers, especially with special offers, is below cost selling.