THE HAGUE, 07/01/09 - The number of newspapers sold in the Netherlands fell further in the third quarter of 2008 compared with the second quarter, according to the HOI media auditing institute.

De Telegraaf, owned by TMG and by far the biggest paper, did expand, with its so-called core volume increasing from 623,000 to 631,000. TMG's competitor PCM had a much harder time, as three of its four national papers lost readers.

NRC Handelsblad was the biggest loser at PCM, with core volume declining to under 190,000 from 199,000 in the second quarter. De Volkskrant, another production considering itself to be a 'quality paper', stabilised at 230,000. Algemeen Dagblad fell from 409,000 to 407,000. Trouw fell from 91,000 to 89,000.

Het Financieele Dagblad, from FD Media Group, also lost readers, where it was still growing until recently, unlike most competitors. Its core volume fell from 57,000 to 55,600.

Nederlands Dagblad stabilised at 31,000. Reformatorisch Dagblad, also Christian, remained bigger at an unchanged 53,000.