| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Compact |
| Owner | Independent News & Media |
| Editor | Mike Gilson |
| Founded | 1870 |
| Political alignment | Unionist/Centre Right |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Circulation | 66,042 [1] |
| Official website | www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk |
The Belfast Telegraph is a daily evening newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland by Independent News & Media.
It was first published as the Belfast Evening Telegraph on 1 September 1870 by brothers William and George Baird. Its first edition cost half a penny and ran to four pages covering the Franco-Prussian war and local news.
Its competitors are The News Letter and The Irish News but the English red tops are also a threat, selling at a cheaper price than the 'Tele'. Ten years ago it was selling more than 100,000 copies.
According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, the paper still had an average daily circulation of 94,540 between June 2004 and January 2005. But since then sales have fallen steadily year on year, the average sales figure for the first six months of 2009 showing a large drop of 10.5% year on year to 68,024,[2] then to to just over 66,000. There was a slight upturn in the first six months of 2010.
The Belfast Telegraph was entirely broadsheet until 19 February 2005, when the Saturday morning edition was introduced and all Saturday editions were converted to compact.[3] The weekday morning "Compact Edition", launched on 22 March 2005,[4] has struggled to replicate the evening newspaper's success. Its editorial content is much more tabloid, with a greater entertainment story count than the evening paper. Much prominence is given to English based sport, and some general features/ columns are shared with the Independent and Irish Independent. The evening edition of the newspaper was originally called the "Sixth Late", and "Sixth Late Tele" was a familiar cry made by vendors in Belfast City Centre in the past.
The evening editions were converted to Compact from 25 March 2009.[5]
The Belfast Telegraph is the primary title of the Belfast Telegraph Group, responsible for printing:
The Belfast Telegraph ceased to print the Ireland's Saturday Night sports evening newspaper in July 2008.
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