Overall, readership in Denmark is on the upswing, with free dailies claiming the top three spots, Newspaper Innovation reported Thursday.

24timer counted 594,000 readers, MetroXpres has 571,000 and Nyhedsavisen has 503,000, according to September readership data.

Of the three free dailies, Nyhedsavisen nearly doubled its readership in September, compared to the first half of 2007. But MetroXpres and Urban, in fifth place with 479,000, lost readers. Jyllands Posten claimed the fourth spot with 482,000.

Paid newspapers Politiken, BT and Ekstra Bladet have more than 400,000 readers. Of those, BT and Ekstra Bladet gained readers. Another paper seeing readership on the rise is Berlingske, Newspaper Innovation reported, via TNS data.