21 Fewer Newspapers Came Out in 2016, Circulation Dropped by 38.4 Mln

Sofia, June 21 (BTA) - The 262 newspapers that were published in Bulgaria in 2016 in an annual circulation of 229,008,000 were 21 fewer (7.4 per cent) than in the previous year, and their circulation decreased by 38,338,000 (14.3 per cent), the National Statistical Institute reported.

Daily newspapers numbered 44 (16.8 per cent of the total) with a combined annual circulation of 135,578,000, newspapers coming out twice or thrice a week were 15 (5.7 per cent) with a circulation of 4,824,000, there were 111 weeklies (42.4 per cent) with a circulation of 85,831,000, and those published less frequently than once a week were 92 (35.1 per cent) with a circulation of 2,775,000.

According to thematic area, newspapers dealing with political, philosophical, religious and cultural issues took up the largest share: 51.1 per cent (134 titles with an annual circulation of 101,780,000. They were followed by other publications for the general public: 16.0 per cent (42 titles with an annual circulation of 84,605,000, or 36.9 per cent of the circulation of all published newspapers.

Almost 97 per cent (254 titles) of all newspapers published in 2016 were in Bulgarian, and eight were published in foreign languages: four in Turkish, two in Russian, and one each in English and German.

In 2016, the largest number of newspapers was published in the Sofia City Region: 126 titles or 48.1 per cent of all newspapers published in Bulgaria.

Last year saw the publication of 79 magazines and bulletins in foreign languages with an annual circulation of 148,000. Of these, the most numerous publications were in English: 73 titles with a circulation of 116,000, followed by two in French and Romanian (with a circulation of 1,000) and one in Turkish (with a circulation of 31,000).

The 108 periodic collections published in 2016 in a circulation of 21,000 were the same in number as in 2015, but their circulation decreased by 25.9 per cent.

A total of 7,416 books in a circulation of 3,475,341 and 1,114 pamphlets in a circulation of 1,031,712 were published in 2016. Compared to the previous year, the number of books and pamphlets published in 2016 decreased by 790 (8.5 per cent), while the average circulation increased from 526 in 2015 to 528 in 2016 or by 0.4 per cent. Books and pamphlets published in 2016 were distributed by thematic area as follows: fiction for adults: 2,607 titles in a circulation of 1,209,000; scientific literature: 1,638 titles in a circulation of 388,000; educational literature: 1,522 titles in a circulation of 652,000; popular literature: 1,239 titles in a circulation of 911,000; children's and juvenile literature: 1,020 titles in a circulation of 1,141,000 (of which children's fiction literature: 524 titles in a circulation of 521,000), and other: 504 titles in a circulation of 207,000.

A total of 5,999 titles (70.3 per cent of the total number of published books and pamphlets and 52.3 per cent of the total circulation) were published in the original language of writing (including Bulgarian). Translated publications numbered 2,531, and their circulation aggregated 2,149,000. More than half of the translated literature (55.4 per cent) was translated from English, followed by French (8.0 per cent), German (6.1 per cent), and Russian (6.0 per cent).