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Battle of the regional newspapers: readership numbers in free fall!
Regional newspapers in Schleswig-Holstein face major challenges due to falling circulation and high costs. The article highlights current developments and efforts to make digital adjustments.
Battle of the regional newspapers: readership numbers in free fall!
In Schleswig-Holstein, things are looking bleak for the regional newspapers. Rising production costs and shrinking readership numbers are putting a lot of pressure on publishers. This can be seen, for example, in the Flensburger Tageblatt and the Lübeck news, which have been losing readership for years. The Lübecker Nachrichten in particular has seen its circulation fall by 10% annually.
Two-thirds of the regional newspapers' income comes from sales figures and one-third from advertising revenue. At a time when news offerings on many channels are booming, publishers are looking for new digital distribution channels. E-papers, online articles, news apps and an increased presence on social media are currently very popular. The “Newspaper facets 2025” study shows that 42% of readers now use the online offerings of regional newspapers, an increase of 6 percentage points compared to previous years.
The importance of regional reporting
For many people, local issues are of considerable interest. Matters such as access to daycare places or fire service issues are part of the daily business of regional newspapers and are essential for readers. According to the study, 63% of the more than 5,000 respondents consider regional newspapers to be essential for democracy and confirm that they give their region a voice.
This is one of the reasons why the “Lübecker Nachrichten” has decided to become active on platforms such as TikTok in order to appeal to younger target groups. Publishers want to counteract the decline in circulation numbers with ambitious projects like “nugget,” which aims to convey information in a quick, readable way.
Challenges in the digital age
However, the competition is getting tougher. The prevailing “parallel news worlds” on social media have not made it easy to win back readers. Media economist Christian Wellbrock draws attention to the dangers of a “single-newspaper landscape,” which could endanger media diversity and even democracy. Wellbrock sees a problematic development in Lübeck and North Frisia, while the editor-in-chief of the Flensburger Tageblatt still sees a sufficient number of regional titles in Schleswig-Holstein.
These developments show that it is not just about survival, but also about asserting yourself in a dynamic digital environment. The pressure is growing and the question remains: How do regional newspapers manage to adapt to the new circumstances and still do justice to the important task of local reporting?
At a time when print editions are in decline with 43% usage, while new paths are being taken with the help of e-paper and online offerings, it turns out that newspapers are worthwhile in order to continue to exist as a mainstay of an informed society. The decline in print circulation is alarming, but as developments show, there is hope - especially in an area that remains indispensable for social interaction.