The latest Advertising Association (AA) and Warc Expenditure Report shows total advertising spend in UK printed press, which includes national and regional newspapers and consumer and business magazines, was down from £986m in Q1 of 2011 to £887m over the same period this year. 

Regional newspapers fared the worst, showing a year-on-year decline of 11.8% to £326m in Q1 of 2012. This was followed by national newspapers, business and consumer magazines on which advertising spend declined 11.3% (£348m), 9.7% (£78m) and 2% (£135m) respectively.

AA director of communications Ian Barber said: "It’s been a tough quarter for newspapers but we shouldn’t forget that, despite massive growth in digital, over 40% of advertising - newspapers, magazines, out of home and direct – relies heavily on printed media."

Overall the report predicts that advertising in printed press will fall by 5.1% in 2012 from £3.9bn in 2011 to £3.7bn by the end of this year although it is expected to stabilise in 2013.

Total advertising expenditure across all media remained fairly steady with an overall increase of 1.1% compared to 2011 and growth predicted to reach 2.5% in 2012.

The Q1 figures also saw advertising spend decline in television (0.7%) while growth was achieved in all other areas surveyed in the report including internet (11.1%), outdoor (3.1%), radio (6.9%, cinema (9.5%).

AA chief executive Tim Lefroy added: "In the face of global economic uncertainty, UK advertising holds a steady course. Evidence shows that advertising invigorates GDP growth, so a healthy ad market is good news for the whole economy, not just advertisers."

Direct mail figures, supplied by Royal Mail, were not included in the overall figures contained in the report because the organisation has recently broadened the definition of DM to include items such as unrequested catalogues, brochures and vouchers. It also changed the method for estimating the average cost of each mailed item which would affect the total expenditure figures.

Warc estimated that the changes would have produced a DM expenditure increase of 20% which would not be comparable to 2011 figures. Spend based on the new definition of DM will be included in subsequent reports.