NEW DELHI: While free dailies around the world saw the slowest ever rise in circulation of just 13 percent in 2007, growth is also expected to be modest in 2008 unless new markets such as China, Germany or India open up.

According to a Newspaper Innovation report quoted by the sfnblog of the World Association of Newspapers (WAN), total free daily circulation reached 42 million this year, but growth was in nearly its slowest year.

In 1996, free dailies only grew 8 percent, while 2003 saw growth of only 10 percent. However, the number of launches outweighed closures in 2007.

However, a survey shows that global newspaper ad expenditures will achieve US $129.2 million this year, and keep on growing with a single digit ACGR in the next two year, and will reach nearly US $140 million in 2009.

According to the 2007 World Press Trend released by WAN, newspaper ad spending has grown slowly each year since 1004, except for in 2001 and 2002, and increased over 55 percent in total.

Newspapers’ share of the ad market, on the contrary, has shrunk over the years. In 1994, newspaper ad spending accounted for over 35 percent of the total market. It declined to less than 30 percent in 2005, and will make up only 28.6 percent this year. The slip is expected to continue in the next two years, and in 2009, newspapers’ share will become 27.5 percent only.