*Source: theSUN
It's official, folks! In Malaysia, theSUN is now the number one English newspaper in the country. The tabloid reported that in the first six months of 2009, it had an average distribution of 300,557 copies while The Star had 293,112 copies and the New Straits Times recorded 116,411 copies.
The chart above shows that it was only theSUN that succeeded in increasing its average circulation while all English newspapers in Peninsular Malaysia recorded a drop in circulation over the past year. The report was based on audited circulation statistics of newspapers in Malaysia released by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) last week.
What is interesting is that the circulation recorded a steady increase over the years and it also beat ALL papers - including Malay and Chinese papers - in Malaysia's richest region, Selangor/Wilayah with a total of 224,440 copies.
ALL the other English newspapers in Peninsular Malaysia showed a drop in circulation. The hardest hit was New Straits Times was , falling to 116,411 copies for the period Jan 1 to June 30, 2009 while Business weekly The Edge fell to 22,974 copies. The Star fell marginally to 293,112 copies for the same period.
Tan Sio Chian, Media Specialist Association council member, who presented the report, attributed the decline to numerous factors, including the economic downturn and competition from other media.
I beg to differ. The facts attest to the fact that Malaysians are a discerning lot. If a newspaper presents distorted news and loses objectivity in the way it supports the status quo, it will surely lose its readership. This is the price they have paid!
Despite working within constraints, theSUN pushes boundaries in trying to do a good job - the best that they can. theSun WILL continue to shine with objective and investigative reporting by Citizen Nades, Terence Fernandez, Tan Siok Choo etc. while the others write away to their sunset!!!
For those of you who love to read newspapers, pay 30 cents to have theSUN delivered to your door because this is the ONLY English newspaper worth reading!!! PERIOD!!
