The print segment in the CEE in 2023

The print media landscape across the CEE region continued to grapple with challenges as digital platforms gained prominence in 2023.

The overall ad spending in this segment slightly surpassed 500 million euros, which is a 6% drop from the previous year, and equals to now only 4% of the regional advertising pie. When looking at country-level spending, most markets show a decline in print investments, and the occasional growth can be attributed to the effects of inflations. Economic factors, such as rising paper and energy costs, notably impacted operations, as seen in Croatia, where the sale of local newspapers occurred to consolidate efforts amid financial pressures. 

Bulgaria and Croatia saw reductions in print media consumption, with Croatia's dailies and magazines witnessing 4% and 6% drops in reach, respectively. In Serbia, the decline in print ad spending mirrored the overall drop in readership, though industries like mobile communications and retail still invested in print. Slovenia also faced declining revenues, prompting some outlets to explore digital subscription models to attract younger audiences.

The share of print in the overall ad spending, 2023