Media: All about ... bulk newspaper distribution.

Advertisers will welcome Express Newspapers' move.

There was a revolution in newspapers last week. Well, that's what Northern & Shell, the owner of Express Newspapers, wanted people to think.

A bold press release from Richard Desmond Towers announced the 'pioneering step' of Express Newspapers eliminating the use of bulk sales from its headline Audit Bureau of Circulations sales figures for the Daily Express and the Sunday Express.

Pioneering, perhaps, for the two titles involved but hardly an industry first. In fact, Express Newspapers had long since stripped bulk sales, the giveaways usually targeted at travellers and hotel guests, from its Daily Star and Daily Star Sunday sales figures to match its rivals in the red-top market.

However, in the mid-market there is still heavy use of bulks to prop up sales figures by Express Newspapers and its bitter rival, Associated Newspapers. This prompted Stan Myerson, the managing director of Northern & Shell, to issue a rallying cry to the industry (well, to Associated at least): 'This is an important decision and we challenge rivals to follow our lead and take out the bulks from their own figures.

The Daily Express and Sunday Express newspapers represent a superb advertising platform and we do not feel we have to overstate our position by relying on free or discounted copies, as our competitors are still doing.' It also, of course, cuts costs.

Many will welcome Express Newspapers' stance to provide advertisers with 'transparent and reliable data', particularly after stand-offs with agencies last year over proposed price hikes across the titles. Some agencies resented paying increased prices based on circulation gains bolstered by bulk and overseas sales.