Two daily newspapers and 21 non-daily newspapers were published regularly in Iceland in last year. The total circulation of dailies was 130 thousand copies per issue on average and 231 thousand copies of non-dailies. Between 2010 and 2009, the daily newspaper circulation declined by 8,000 copies. In last year, the circulation of non-dailies increased by 161 thousand copies since 2009, or from 70 thousand copies to 231 thousand.

From 2008, the number of dailies has dropped from five to two. The number of published dailies has not been lower since the second decade of the last century. From 1995 the number of non-daily newspapers has somewhat declined, or from 25 papers when at peak down to 21 in the last two years. Three national papers were published and regional and local papers were and 18.

Circulation of daily newspapers dropped from 138,000 copies in 2009 down to 130 thousand in 2010. Since 2007 the total daily newspaper circulation has more than halved, dropped by 153 thousand copies.

Circulation of non-daily newspapers increased largely in last year. The total circulation of the non-daily press in last year grew from 70 thousand copies in 2009 to 231 thousand in last year or more than threefold. This growth is to a large extent attributable to an increase in the number of papers distributed nationwide and the advent of new free papers distributed widely in large number of copies.

Total newspaper revenue in last year amounted to roughly 6,000 million ISK. After near continuous downturn in revenue of the newspaper industry since 2006, last year saw an increase in newspaper revenue (i.e. revenue from sales and advertisements) of 500 million ISK.

Revenue derived from advertisements make up ever larger part of the newspaper revenue, which to a large extent can be explained by growth in publication of free papers and more generally to an increased competition in the media market. Advertisement revenue made up some three fourths of the newspaper revenue in last year in comparison with two thirds in 2000 and half in 1995.

About the information
Statistics Iceland collects annually information from newspaper publishers. In some instances circulation for individual papers is estimated.

Daily newspapers are defined as papers issued 4 times and more frequently in a week, and non-daily newspapers are defined as papers issued 1–3 times in a week. Included in the data are both sold and free papers.