Have free newspapers already developed into a mature market? Piet Bakker, a Netherlands hackademic, will ask that question when he addresses the 8th world media economics and management conference in Lisbon later this morning.
In a blog, he writes that in more than half of the markets where free dailies were introduced at least five years ago, and which secured a substantial market share, circulation is now falling away. "Consolidation and diversification is happening in most mature markets", he argues.
There appears to be support for his view from three Spanish commentators who will talk about the "partial success" of free newspapers in Spain. That's surprising, because free titles there are generally considered to have done well in that country.
